Solace -
The Black BlackReview by John Pegoraro (StonerRock.com)
Underdogma Records (CD)/Land o Smiles (vinyl)
Release date: May 2007
This time last year, New Jersey's Solace had imploded. Their third full-length,
A.D., was dead in the water and they were headed for the “coulda shoulda woulda” file, another obscure band that coulda shoulda woulda kicked the world in the ass had they not been too busy tripping over their own feet.
Then they were offered a slot on the Roadburn Festival and that one gig managed to reinvigorate the five-piece.
A.D. has been dusted off, and while it's
still not finished (making it our
Chinese Democracy), the four new tracks on
The Black Black offer nothing but good news for the band and for their fans.
If I had to describe
The Black Black in a word, it would be one long girlish shriek of joy. The three originals - “Khan (World of Fire),” “Destroy the Gift,” and “The Devil's Clock” - and their cover of The Cure's “World War” deliver classic Solace and then some. The current line-up recorded only one other original, “Cement Stitches” from their split with Greatdayforup, and while a great song, it didn't fully capture what the band was capable of doing. Solace is a guitarist's band, and
The Black Black is replete with riffs, harmonized solos, blistering solos, moody solos, solos that make the hairs on your arm stand up, and the type of solos that make your dog run around in circles, barking at nothing, but never to the point where they sacrifice actual songs. They've stepped up their songwriting in the years since
13, and the end result is an ugly, aggressive, and unique blend of rock, doom, and metal. Credit to that also needs to go to frontman Jason, whose use of both clean, melodic vocals and a fierce shriek adds considerable dynamics to the tracks (especially "The Devil's Clock").
Is this the best material Solace has written? Damn straight. Given the 33 minutes running time, it's debatable whether this will be Album of the Year or EP of the Year. Either way, this is highly recommended. Holy fucking hell, this rules.
URL: http://www.diedrunk.com/