The Black Angels
The Black Angels
by Katie Sauro
There is nothing sparse or simple about the Black Angels’ debut, self-titled E.P. A constant grinding distortion, a la Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, underlies each song and is met with trance-inducing psychedelia and a cacophony of guitars and heavy bass.
All four songs on the E.P. are dark, with a Velvet Underground-inspired drone and biting lyrics, especially “The First Vietnamese War,” probably the blackest song on the album, even though a tambourine plays jollily through the entire thing. Frontman Alex Maas’ angry whine proclaims, “You sent me overseas and put the fear in me.”
The sound is garage-meets-psychedelia, with buzzing distortion and heavy rhythms overshadowing echo-y vocals, creating an ominously brooding atmosphere. Fans of The Warlocks and the aforementioned BRMC should give this record a spin.
The Black Angels’ E.P. is available now on Seattle’s Light in the Attic Records. For more information on the band, visit www.theblackangels.com. |
