Black River Black ‘n’ Roll
by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer
In the last 15 years or so, Poland has become a source of extreme metal bar-setting. Vader, Decapitated, Behemoth, and newcomers Saratan—all have left an indelible mark on the metal world. Well, now it seems that the next generation of Polish music dominance is upon us, and heavy rockers Black River are signaling the oncoming flood with their new album, Black’n’Roll. A brutal combination of stoner rock, ’90s alternative, punk, and metal, the members of Black River have produced a record ready to make waves the world over (ok, no more water puns from here on out…)
Before delving into individual tracks, it should be noted that part of what makes Black River so great is the aforementioned mix of rock (and metal) styles. By bringing together various stylistic nuances that make each genre derivation strong, they’ve created something that may not be earth shatteringly unique, but certainly packs a memorable punch. Driving everything, however, is an mountain of great riffs, a necessary cornerstone for any great rock band.
“Barf Bag” opens the record in fine style, boasting heavy, old-school rock riffing, screaming solos, and vocals that blend rock singing with metal grunting. That may seem odd at first, but vocalist Taff puts just enough singing into his growls to make them brutal, yet still melodic. This is a masterstroke, and also a perfect addition to the accompanying music.
“Lucky in Hell” has a killer, sludgy groove, and though the title may scare off American radio listeners, it’s a great choice for a single. This is followed immediately by the title track, “Black’n’Roll,” a fast, punk-fueled track that isn’t a far cry from Graves-era Misfits. The gang-vocal call-and-response bit also shows how well Taff adapts his vocals to different styles.
“Morphine” is a quieter track (that builds into a full-blown rocker), which works surprisingly well with the harsh vocals. Oftentimes, mellow songs with gruff vocals become laughable and almost feel like self-parody, but in this case the vocals only add to the song’s charm.
Closing track “Young’n’Drunk” seems to draw heavily on the ’90s alt rock/grunge scene, feeling almost like a long-lost Alice in Chains classic. It is both relaxed and epic, and is an excellent wrap-up to an excellent album. There is a bonus track—”Free Man,” from Black River’s self-titled debut—but it seems strangely out of place here, as it is a rather derivative, generic modern metal track. If anything, it serves to illustrate how much better the band have become since their debut release, as well as how they’ve grown to create their own sound.
It is a relief to know that great rock and roll bands aren’t a thing of the past. Granted, the Hellacopters and Chelsea Smiles, among others, should have quelled many fears regarding rock’s disappearance, but as both have split-up, there is plenty of room for new blood. If all goes well, Black River will soon see a rapid (sorry…) rise to rock and roll glory.
Genre: Stoner Rock/Metal
Band:
Taff (v)
Art (g)
Kay (g)
Daray (d)
Orion (b)
Track Listing:
1. Barf Bag
2. Isabel
3. Lucky in Hell
4. Black’n’Roll
5. Breaking the Wall
6. Too Far Away
7. Loaded Weapon
8. Morphine
9. Like a Bitch
10. Young’n’Drunk
11. Free Man
Label: Armoury Records/Mystic Production
Website: http://www.myspace.com/blackriverpl
Hardrock Haven rating: 9.2/10