Black Peaks are a tricky band to sum up. If you listened to just the first 20 seconds of the opening track on their début album Statues you could mistakenly think they are a hardcore metal band. Instead they are more like 90s bands Jane's Addiction or Faith No More who walk that fine line between heavy and melodic music.

'Glass Built Castles', the opening track kicks off with probably the heaviest arrangement on the album but quickly drops into a much more melodic rock track. Which is typical of the album as a whole. They have a natural tact of leading you down the path and then suddenly lurching in another direction.

I have to admit, after my first listen I was left with the distinct feeling of "What on earth have I just listened to?". Not in a bad way, more in a way where I just had to roll back to the beginning and listen again. Each time I work my way through the album it seems to make more sense and impresses me even more than the last listen.

The longest track 'Hang Them High' clocks in at over seven minutes and is a musical journey on par with a classic prog rock track or 'Bohemian Rhapsody' twisting and turning throughout the song but holding your attention throughout.

One of the stand out musicians on the album is certainly the drummer, who finds just the right thing to play at the right time and, most importantly, knows when not to play which helps in places to let the crunching rhythm and wailing lead guitars shine through.

Lyrically the album is full of teen angst and the darker side of life. "Not a fairy tale, not a book", as they say in the track 'White Eyes' seems an appropriate metaphor, each song seems to be a blend of story, fable or mythology that like the music can bounce from one thing to another.

For some people the album may seem a bit too schizophrenic, especially upon first listen. If so, I encourage you to listen again. This album really can grow on you, it's something you can listen to a hundred times and still find something new you have not noticed before.

Black Peaks have been gaining a lot of attention and praise recently and it's not hard to see why.
Jonski Mason

Website: blackpeaks.com
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