This is the fourtj album from the LA based 3 piece The Black, and carries on very much in a similar vein as their previous releases.
Written by: Explorer
ARTIST: The Black
ALBUM: Hero To Zero
LABEL: Self Released
YEAR: 2020
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Joel Burns – guitar * George Wright – lead vocals, bass * Garrett Smith – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Scream At The Girls * 02 Power * 03 I Am The One * 04 Apes Blood * 05 Back To Detroit * 06 Teacher Preacher * 07 Hate Face * 08 Atomic Punks * 09 Closed Casket * 10 Sea Of Snakes * 11 Ghost Girl * 12 Helium Heart
RATING: NA
WEBLINKS: None found
Background
This is the fourth album from the LA based 3 piece The Black, and carries on very much in a similar vein as their previous releases. Not that their sound is getting old, far from it in fact. This is a vibrant, energetic release, with equal emphasis being put upon power as well as melody.
The Songs
This is no better heard than on the opener ‘Scream At The Girls’, with gang like ‘Heys’, and a brooding underlying tone. Also, songs such as ‘Apes Blood’ power along like Cheap Trick meeting Motorhead in a back alley, and ‘Closed Casket’ and closer ‘Helium Heart’ both being very satisfying nuggets of hard rock, but with one eye still firmly fixed on the melody too. There’s also the customary cover version from the guys, and it’s usually a KISS cover but this time they’ve gone for Van Halen‘s ‘Atomic Punk’ and boy The Black do a great job of it.
In Summary
The production on this album is better than their previous releases, making for a most gratifying listening experience. The Black deliver unabashed American Hard Rock, but also with some serious thought given over to the melodic side of their material. It’s plainly obvious the guys in the band, Joel Burns on guitar, George Wright, lead vocals and bass, and Garrett Smith, drums had a real ball recording this as that enthusiasm comes across in every track. This comes highly recommended.
Releases:
Sludge (2014)
Phantasmagoria (2017)
Dance With The Devil (2018)
Hero To Zero (2020)
Video
Entire Album (Select Tracks)
