Black Mountain
IV

An unexpected yet welcome return from the Canadians Black Mountain. Inactive for nearly 6 years (a hiatus that in these tumultuous times almost feels like a reunion), they were, about a decade ago, one of the most brilliant examples of "nostalgic" rock but incredibly personal. Black Mountain, beyond being a band, has always been a kind of commune, all engaged in social causes, especially in the recovery of drug addictions, and they have infused their music with this communal spirit.

Elements that were abundant in their first eponymous and beautiful album (and the EP that followed, for the perfectionists), a peak not yet equaled in their limited discography. The celebrated "In The Future" lost the psychedelic introspection and kraut rhythms of the previous album to make room for tracks sometimes too tied to hard rock tout court, often veering into progressive, which weighed things down a bit. "Wilderness Heart" from 2010 touched on the less hard side of things, succeeding very well in the folk tracks with double vocals, less so in those strictly heavy.

Even if the choice of title for this new effort inevitably raises an eyebrow for many (did someone say Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath?), fortunately, the feared plagiarism/tribute effect is well avoided. This is evident from the long and mesmerizing track that opens the album. "Mothers Of The Sun" is the closest thing to the beautiful "Buffalo Swan" found in the aforementioned 2005 EP, that is, a carpet of synths and organ accompanying Amber's beautiful voice, doubled by the perhaps overly melodic tone of the leader McBean, enriched by a monolithic riff that imprints itself on the cerebral cortex within seconds. It's been a long time since I could get excited about a track like this one.

If we had to decide on a sonic common thread for the album, it would surely be the synths and organ which, while they can seem '80s at times ("Florian Saucer Attack"), actually harken back to the pioneers of analog, namely the German cosmic couriers (Cosmic Jokers, Klaus Schulze, Sergius Golowin), and partly also to the fashionable John Carpenter and his '70s soundtracks ("You Can Dream"). There you have it, Black Mountain has succeeded where the latest Tame Impala completely failed. That is, managing to fuse synths and electric guitars without losing their essence, working meticulously and staying powerful and concise ("Constellations" and "Defector"") without mimicking R&B or similar stuff. The icing on the cake is two expanded tracks in the wake of the initial “Mothers Of The Sun”. "Space To Bakersfield" is a cosmic blues of almost 10 minutes, slow meditation on the rise, always keeping an eye well open towards the doors of perception, and "(Over And Over) The Chain", introduced by 3 minutes of deep space effects in Hawkwind style, and then led by a cosmic-tribal rhythm to the final mantra-like triumph based on wah-wah.

Ultimately, and without hesitation, already among the albums of the year.