ALBUM REVIEW: Exile – Black Sites
While we all enjoy a deep dive into the complicated sub-genres of the modern metal era, there’s something satisfying about revisiting those old classics that started it all, when metal itself was all the genre you needed. Cue BLACK SITES, with their new album Exile, come to deliver a sound that hearkens back to the roots of what makes heavy metal.
The Night They Came For You opens with a solid riff that cruses through with an easy momentum. Strong vocals are pretty evocative of a more modest time in metal, when the prowess of the lyrics took more precedence than how much screaming you could fit into a song. Overall, the pacing and reserve allows for a breathable start that captures the attention, gearing you up for the next tune. To The Fire runs in much the same vein, a distinct harmony much akin to BLACK SABBATH or RAINBOW, with that stripped back feel. Once again, there’s a good vocal delivery and a nice consistency in the music itself, shifting from melodic to a harder classic rock and metal style.
Drums tumble through to introduce Feral Child. A bright and fun start really impacts the shift into a more progressive metal style. This slide between the stripped back and the complex is an unusual dynamic. One thing is for sure, be it technically challenging or more stamping old school, the heart of BLACK SITES lies in the ethos of metal; to tell good stories through the melody, comradery and kick ass attitude. We bring things down to a cool acoustic beginning with Coal City. There’s something of THE ROLLING STONE’s Paint It Black, or even some DAVID BOWIE here. The Spanish influence sets up a warm and inviting start to what evolves into chilled out, but still heavy break down. Favouring dual guitar harmonies and twinned vocal tracking, it’s not a bad effort.
Dream Long Dead opens with a decent focus, with an almost synthy feel to it. There’s a flamboyancy to the vocals that allows the rest of the track to calm down and enjoy the chug of the guitar and the steady beat. Once you’ve settled into the movement does Dream Long Dead and it’s slightly lighter tone you’ll find a pleasant song. Focused Totality/The Psychic Knife decides to take it’s route back into a very classic metal sound. There’s a slight element of early thrash bands like VENOM, keeping things simple and rooted in a heavy tone rather than blistering licks. It’s a fair effort but relies on a lot of tropes to create something a little lacking. It’s second half adds some more melodic moments, but overall, it’s either going to win you over, or leave you a little none phased.
Penultimate song Prolonging moves with the same air of confidence as the rest of the record. truly, BLACK SITES have a good way of capturing that power, melancholy and fresh enjoyment of a heavier sound that you found back in the seventies. It’s stripped back and dark enough, and its tonal qualities are nice, but it feels like something is missing a little. It could be that this style is so iconic that using it without embellishment into newer genres feels stagnant.
Finally, Dwell Upon The End stomps towards that BLACK SABBATH, blues-y riff. The emotional aspect is very much there, and it’s a cool brood into the finale of the album. The heart of BLACK SITES riffing is the best part of this track for sure, and demonstrates that the band have the chops to make something fun. Things do suddenly drop off into a wavy, reverberating trudge with an accompanying screech of higher strings to conclude the outing of Exile.
If you’re a fan of old school metal, there’s material here in spades for you here. At its best, the decent into darkness feels fresh and exciting once again, however Exile something is a double-edged sword for BLACK SITES. While the nostalgia and understanding of what makes classic metal and rock so compelling from the start, it’s stripped back nature of a classic sound, in this day and age, make it feel like a little something is lacking towards the end of the record.
Rating: 6/10
Exile is out now via Hoove Child Records.
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