It sometimes feels like the fabric of the Universe is tearing apart. Trump is president. Mass shootings seem to be a monthly affair. Wars ravage the Earth. Climate change is quickly destroying habitats for both humans and animals.
The Black Angels’ new album Death Song is the timely soundtrack to the apocalyptic times we are living in.
The Black Angels
With their blend of dark, heavy psychedelic rock paralleling the sick, sad world we’re in, their recent House of Blues performance was a necessary and cathartic experience. The songs in the set asked the heavy hitting questions that keep you up all night.
On stage, the band was drenched in colors and patterns and light, together a mad amalgamation of swooping and swirling hues that were a visual banquet. The crowd gathered around the stage to partake in the collective mind melding ministry. The band’s classic influences are evident in each song, evident from its fans trying to relive the era that birthed psych rock. It was amazing to see people of all ages come together to lose themselves to the surreal waves of sound.
The set started out with a blast off on the wings of the song “Currency,” which may be the best of the new crop. It begins with an inviting, slow and deliberate fade in, with thought provoking lyrics about humanity’s obsession with its false God, money. The other standout from the show was “Comanche Moon” with its lilting, effect leaden melody chronicling the saga of the native peoples of the “land of the free.” Perhaps it’s the indigenous blood in me that connected with the themes in the song. Maybe it’s the recent battles in the news, which pitted these people against the greedy government; regardless, the song deeply struck me.
I love that this band has perfectly crafted their sound over the years and is now taking a stand on the issues that plague the world. It’s easy to pretend that everything is peachy, but it’s much harder to voice your beliefs and take the chance on losing fans. I’m thankful for The Black Angels taking up the torch in these volatile times. Music is the only language understood worldwide, maybe it can help us heal mankind.