ALBUM REVIEW: Doomed Blues (reissue) – The Black Furs
It is safe to say that the doom, stoner and heavy psych scene in Argentina is currently thriving in the underground, with bands such as MESPHISTOFELES, FULANNO, SERPENT COBRA and EN LA NIEBLA leading the charge alongside the electrifying self-proclaimed “death blues” outfit THE BLACK FURS. Hailing from the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires and bursting out of the province on a Harley Davidson with flames coming out of its exhaust, THE BLACK FURS have a doomy, old school blues sound that is packed with grit and grime. The trio write music designed for dingy, gloomy dive bars where cigarette smoke clings fervently to the walls, and the band’s reissued debut Doomed Blues certainly has a potent odour about it.
Originally released in 2016, Doomed Blues was a throwback to the dangerous days of the 1970s underground with a modern fuzzed-out and distinctly Argentinian twist. Scorching and sizzling, this is an album that doesn’t want you to sit still. With rampant harmonicas, squealing guitars, pulling bass grooves and hammering drum grooves, Doomed Blues is just as chaotic now as when it originally came out in 2016.
Unlike their contemporaries, THE BLACK FURS have a plethora of influences that are mixed together and boiled down in their murky cauldron, leaping from frenzied blues rock to completely fuzzed-out doom reminiscent of heavyweights ELECTRIC WIZARD. They also venture into JIMI HENDRIX style riffs and screaming wah pedal solos, and this unpredictability throughout the album certainly keeps you on your toes.
The band straddle this strange, hazy middle ground where trippy, bluesy psychedelia meets the dirtier, raw side of rock and doom. Yet it is this rawness that gives this album its charm; rugged and rough round the edges, this is one for those who love the vintage sound of jam room recordings. The best example of this is the album’s closing track Livin Like A Dog, a ten-minute psychedelic jam of winding guitar leads, earthy bass grooves and a steady and hypnotic drum beat. However, for all its merits in bringing all these influences together in a satisfying and exciting way, the only real gripe with this album is that it is 52 minutes long.
Given the style of the music and the somewhat rigid structure that each song seems to follow, this feels a little too bloated. You do get a sense that the album would be snappier and more cohesive without interlude tracks Voodoo Queen Blues and Jesus Left Me Die So Young. Both are solid acoustic tracks and they do offer some variation on the album but they seem a little out of place amongst all the distortion and frenzied energy. With the heavy psych vibes of Serpent Baby, Blues Of Lova and the aforementioned Livin Like A Dog providing the bulk of the trippier elements of the album, those two tracks feel shoehorned in.
Also, each half of the album feels like it could be a stand alone release; the first half is brazen blues rock whilst the second half is fuzzed-out doom. With all the higher energy tracks being front-loaded you’re kind of exhausted by the time the doom tracks really get flowing, and this strange balance of energy feels disjointed and can be disruptive to listen to.
The album kicks off with Warm Satisfaction which is a garage rock foot stomper that sounds like it’s been ripped straight out of the late 1970s. Its high tempo and energy sets the tone for the album and the frenzied nature of this track carries on into Devil Got Me On The Road. This track leans more into the blues with a scorching harmonica and fuzzed-out twelve bar sounding riff. Poison Deals sounds like JIMI HENDRIX if he wrote stoner rock. Full on squealing wah solos are backed by gritty fuzz riffs, and it is one of the stand out tracks on the album because of its chaotic nature.
Blues Of Lova starts to introduce some BLACK SABBATH-esque doom to the proceedings, slow and heavy, the track has a significantly darker vibe than those that came before it. Serpent Baby continues the doomier side of things but infuses it with more pronounced blues riffs and garage rock leads. Mors Tempestiva then takes the album in an unexpectedly psychedelic direction that feels slightly out of place at this point in the record. Electric Heat and Kiss Of Magick bring us back round to the highly energetic blues-focused doom, the latter having an occult rock atmosphere. Closing with Livin Like A Dog which is initially a high octane MOTÖRHEAD sounding song for the first two minutes, the album fades out over eight minutes of psychedelic jamming.
THE BLACK FURS do have an interesting and high-octane sound that will appeal to many, but the weird layout of this album leaves much to be desired. Just when you think you’re getting into its vibe it takes a different direction, leaving you a bit confused as to what is going on.
Rating: 6/10
Doomed Blues (reissue) is set for release on September 25th via Helter Skelter Productions and Regain Records.
Like THE BLACK FURS on Facebook.