Enjoyable stuff, if you’re feeling a bit Gothic.
Enjoyable stuff, if you’re feeling a bit Gothic.
The Black Heart Procession – Six
Now I wasn’t all that keen on the last LP of theirs we reviewed (The Spell), due to the fact that it really didn’t let up… but this is actually a great LP, with enough emotional elasticity to make an impact.
Yes, tracks like The Wasteland or Heaven And Hell, however powerful emotionally, don’t exactly make the cocktail you’re hosting party go with a swing; (tearing out hearts as a goodbye gesture seem to be on the agenda in The Wasteland) but there’s a lot more light and shade in this record. Witching Stone is a tremendous departure from the Stalinist funeral march we could expect as standard from BHP. And there are equally memorable “pop” moments, namely Rats and Suicide (yes, I know the titles don’t offer respite, but…). Rats has a great wobbly, underground vibe about it, a very seductive slice of paranoia, and maybe a stylistic nod to bands like Gallon Drunk.
That’s not to say that the slowies aren’t that good. Drugs is a very powerful song, strong on message, and subtle in presentation (even if we can guess what’s coming), and All My Steps is a tremendous, slightly overblown lament. But for me, Forget My Heart, Back to The Underground and Suicide are the highlights, boasting as they do angry guitars and a tense stridency that suits the band.
Enjoyable stuff, if you’re feeling a bit Gothic.
Words: Richard Foster