Black Lakes tear out of the darkness and into the light with their second album Dead Gods.
The album blasts in with H.A.T.E (Here At The End) to scare your ears open, it’s a high-speed stampede with gruff vocals, punctuating drums and a riff that have you begging for it to kick in again and to hell with the consequences, much like the behaviour of the society of which this song speaks. Whilst the second track Rapture might float in on an electric wire, it isn’t long before it picks up the pace, vocals are beautifully layered and the drums ring out like a peel of church bells.
There’s a catchy chorus to this one and even when the vocals take on a grittier quality around three-quarters of the way through, the song somehow remains melodious despite being an ode to a planet that desperately needs saving. The force-10 message of Hurricane tells us all to wake up and smell the same-shit-different-day-politics we’re being fed by our so-called leaders and introduces an anthemic ear-worm of a chorus and a breakdown that rains down on your senses alongside some well-placed “screaming for solace”. Waves, march-like drum beats and a siren-like guitar note signal the arrival of the important and poignant song White Cliffs, twinkly guitar work softens ready for vocals whilst a steadfast bass line is dubbed throughout. The song frantically fights you back into the last verse for another attempt and key lines “setting sail for better days, lost souls of the betrayed” and “white cliffs mark the graves” speak volumes about the level of emotion channelled into this song. The fifth track Vapour has a darkly synth-drenched start that adds an extra measure of Goth flavour. The line “I wish I could disappear, I wish I could turn to vapour” might make you wonder if perhaps turning into a flock of bats would also be acceptable. The vocal layers are styled in such a way that music and lyrics combine stunningly and hints of Grunge-tones play out in chunky riffs just before the mid-point, the song might be about introversion but it betrays itself with its own magnetic allure; this is certainly a standout song on the album.
Just when you think the next track couldn’t possibly build onwards, it uses the previous as a foundation, The title track Dead Gods is a BIG song with a BIG CHORUS. This song seems to have it all and it’s easy to see why it has been positioned in the centre of this album it’s a lynchpin, bold and beautiful with plenty of devil in the detail. There’s a piano intro and the vocals cut hauntingly alongside a string section. There are lost-boy style crescendos in the “Thou shall not weep” lyrics, percussive timpani, a false-end which surges back in with a stunning guitar solo and it is all mixed and melded to perfection, it’s the longest song on the album but at no point does it get boring. The seventh song Burn has stacks of chunk, depth and grit in both the music and the meaning behind the lyrics – it is centred on mental health and self-sabotage -but the Nu-metal-esque lift at the end of the sentences is beguiling and the strobe-like slicing of the music towards the end makes it an addictive listen. The melancholic melody of Dark Glass will surprise you with more top-notch gang vocals and quirky timings urging you to disconnect from the falsehood of social platforms occasionally. Panning guitar work kicks of the riff and drums of The Fallen, this song is another masterwork of timing that again keeps the instruments interesting and exciting, it’s an encouraging nod to seek the power within and is also an absolute standout. If every album has a ballad then the final song Dark Before The Dawn is probably the closest track to that, sweetly melodic, slower and atmospheric with ethereal synth and some stripped-back vocals that really help the important words cut through, an impressive feat in itself over such skilled instrument flaunting.
This album tackles some incredibly deep issues in the murkiest depths of the human psyche and societal politics and yet remains a vibrant, compelling and enjoyable listen throughout. Black Lakes might evoke thoughts of water but their music has an incredibly solid formula and a signature sound that is heavier, darker and deeper this time around. Dead Gods is a beast of a second album with a multiverse of textures. Pair it with a glass of ethical morals, a bowl of awakened reflection, and a side of revolutionary attitude, and see what happens to the world!
Black Lakes ‘Dead Gods’ is OUT 6th September 2024
06 September 2024 – DEAD GODS LAUNCH NIGHT – EXCHANGE – BRISTOL – ENGLAND – UK
Head to www.blacklakes.com to find out more!
REVIEW: SUZI BOOTZ
BLACK LAKES IS:
Will Preston – Lead Vocals
Scott Bradshaw – Guitars & Vocals
James Rowlands – Guitars & Vocals
Lee Harris – Bass Guitars
Dafydd Fuller – Drums & Vocals
TRACK LISTING
- A.T.E (Here At The End) 02:59
- Rapture 03:53
- Hurricane 03:03
- White Cliffs 04:00
- Vapour 03:54
- Dead Gods 05:03
- Burn 03:45
- Dark Glass 03:05
- The Fallen 03:17
- Dark Before The Dawn 04:06
Produced by Romesh Dodangoda and Black Lakes
U P C O M I N G D A T E S
06 September 2024 – DEAD GODS LAUNCH NIGHT – EXCHANGE – BRISTOL – ENGLAND – UK
29 September 2024 – NWOCR LIVEFEST – KK’S STEELMILL – WOLVERHAMPTON – ENGLAND – UK
12 October 2024 – SHARK FEST – THE PATRIOT – CRUMLIN – WALES – UK
09 November 2024 – HEADLINE SHOW – BRICKMAKERS – NORWICH – ENGLAND – UK
28 November 2024 – WINTERSTORM FEST – TROON CONCERT HALL – TROON – SCOTLAND – UK
30 November 2024 – ASHEN REACH – LEO’S RED LION – KENT – ENGLAND – UK
18 January 2025 – DEMENTIA AWARE FESTIVAL – THE STATION – CANNOCK – ENGLAND
04 May 2025 – ROXOFF FESTIVAL – BRICKMAKERS – NORWICH – ENGLAND – UK
24 May 2025 – LLAMAU FESTIVAL THE PATRIOT – CRUMLIN – WALES – UK
31 May 2025 – CALL OF THE WILD – LINCOLNSHIRE SHOWGROUND – LINCOLN – ENGLAND – UK
27 – 29 June 2025 – WILDFIRE FESTIVAL – WANLOCKHEAD – DUMFRIES – SCOTLAND – UK
06 July 2025 – SOS FESTIVAL – WHITTLES – MANCHESTER – ENGLAND – UK