The Black Angels are back with their newest album in five years, Wilderness of Mirrors. Recorded over the course of two years during the pandemic, these 15 songs are a sonic rock attack, with a sense of urgency heard within. Post-apocalyptic scenarios, environmental destruction, and the falling of empires and institutions are mirrored in the lyrics and themes of each song. The album is a psychedelic editorial on the state of the world today as seen from a band who has toured internationally, but still stays true to their roots in Austin, Texas. Just like the haunting electric sounds associated with The 13th Floor Elevators before them, The Black Angels are the torch bearers of that Texas psych tradition, creating a spooky vibe throughout Wilderness of Mirrors, which is more about the shadow than the light. They have never been musically shy about tackling the dark aspects of modern psych rock – for it’s not always a pleasant trip, and there is never anything hippie about this group.
There are the great moments of classic types of fuzz and distortion, as seen on the tracks, “Without a trace” and the driving baseline of “Empires falling,” with its accompanying Ralph Bakshi inspired music video. However, there are more aspects of synth and keyboards in the production on most of the songs that were in the past. Tracks like “The River” have more of a mellow eastern vibe, but still keep with the dark theme, taking the listener on a journey down the metaphorical river Styx, a river in Greek mythology that acts as the barrier between Earth and the underworld. There is a desperation in the voice of “Here & Now”, with the vocals of singer Alex Maas being instantly recognizable and almost iconic at this point for listeners of modern psych rock.
Classic Tremelo and fuzz can be heard on “La Pared (Govt. Wall Blues)” and “A Walk on the Outside” giving the listener a bit of the classic Black Angels sound they have always loved. A song like “Firefly” is more of a funhouse- of- mirrors carnival type track with an unsettling melody, experimental sounds, and production taking the band in a different direction. A standout moment from the album is “El Jardin,” an instant classic song from the band, accompanied with a big budget music video. We see a boy from a polluted future who finds a virtual reality headset that shows what the natural Earth used to look like, along with sentient orbs of light, astral projecting across landscapes, and wandering in an ancient forest full of magical flora and fauna.
The deep final track “Suffocation” wraps up the album nicely as a noble pallet cleanser as the listener emerges from the haunted forest, giving angelic hope from what was just experienced on the musical journey before. The songwriting of this group never disappoints, and these new songs will fit nicely into the catalog of one the best modern psych rock bands of the 21st century.
Empires Falling
You can be the one who saves yourself
Or you can watch it all go to hell
Make believe you’re innocent
Hide in bunkers twice as thick
Blinded by the sun above
End the hate and start this love
Empires Falling, it’s history on repeat
Our nations’ pleading from street to bloody street
Have me no more confidences
Soldiers are your main defense
If you think you’re mystical
Then save this bleeding animal
Empires Falling, it’s history on repeat
Our nations’ pleading from street to bloody street
Empires Falling, it’s history on repeat
Our nations’ pleading from street to bloody street
Everytime I close my eyes
They will take our youth again kid
So never ever look away
When you see the red
Every time you sleep I want to end you
Every time you wake I smile at you
Every time I close my eyes
They will take our youth again kid
So never ever look away
When you see the red
You can be the one who saves yourself
Or you can watch it all go to hell
You can be the one who saves yourself
Or you can watch it all go to hell
Author: Matt Robeson Martin, Pow Magazine
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