A Free Man

“Well, he came without warning
like 10,000 men swarming.
Right out of the sky, like a torch
in the night.
The rocks were screaming, and
the sand it was breathing.
I’ve been here before,
When I was killed in a war.”

-The Black Angels - “The Return (a warning to prepare)”

Austin’s The Black Angels sophomore LP stomped its’ way on to the interwebs this week ahead of its CD release date in May. A Free Man is still feeling the aftershocks. The Texan sextet is capable of a big sound. “Directions to See A Ghost” is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed “Passover” and represents a musical progression from the debut. The new record is dark, droningly hypnotic a mixture of harmonic riffs and pounding martial rhythms. The Black Angels are recognizably the band that played “Passover” but they’ve nailed down a sound that they are happy with, they rarely diverge from a trudging tempo - reminiscent of the Velvet Underground or the Melvins, they lean heavily on 60’s inspired vocals in the style of Grace Slick or Jim Morrison and they throw in the occasional psychedelic guitar or sitar solo.

The Black Angels, however, are far more than apologists for 60’s music or a house band for a “hippie party”. There are songs like “18 Years” that open with the sunshine chimes of a 60’s girl band before Dave Gahan-esque vocals and dirging guitars take the listener to a place that hasn’t seen the sunshine in quite some time. The faster tempo and brighter tone or “Science Killer” is sucked back down to the dirt as “Mission District” creeps, predatory with glimpses of the Lizard King in the vocals. The sitar chimes in sporadically hearkening the music of the East but, In general the record stomps forward with an almost militaristic rhythm as if The Black Angels would destroy anything in their wake - like Hannibal’s war elephants.

And for me, that works. This is a dark album and lyrically abstract, the songwriting showing an appreciation for or acceptance of pain and evil. There are thinly veiled political tracks like the nod to election day in “Vikings” and historical interpretations “You In Color”. But in general the lyrics are poems to personal darkness:

The curtain surrounds you
you begin to forget
The hammer cracks
the iron core of your mind

The verdict: If you liked the first Black Angels, you’ll love this one. If you’re a fan of Depeche Mode, Smashing Pumpkins, Jefferson Airplane, 60’s garage bands, The Doors, or The Velvet Underground - you’ll probably like it. If you’re open minded about your music, “Directions to See A Ghost” is definitely worth a punt.

MP3: The Black Angels - “Science Killers”
MP3: The Black Angels - “You On The Run”
MP3: The Black Angels - “The First Vietnamese War” (from “Passover”)

The Black Angels “Directions to See A Ghost” (Light In The Attic) was released for download on Tuesday on or eMusic. Order the wax, due on May 13, from Amazon