Black Pyramid – S/T – CD/LP 2009
Every once in a while an album lands that is so drenched in power and passion that it almost seems to stop time for its duration. The Black Pyramid 7″ released last year on Electric Earth Records was a huge slab of megalithic Sleepesque riffing that pointed towards greater things but I couldn’t have anticipated how much further the band would be able to take their sound on their full length debut…
Maybe my initial reaction to listening to this album is the most fitting testament to its effect…this is the email I sent to Lee immediately after listening to it for the first time.
“Dude…Holy fucking sweet Jesus Christ!!! How awesome is the Black Pyramid album!!!! I was listening to it in the car this morning on my way to work and I was wishing that I lived further away so I could listen to it again!!! It definitely has a bit of a Sleep vibe going on but it actually makes Holy Mountain sound sloppy and amateur. Some of the melodies are literally breathtaking, I could feel my heart going as I was listening to it but the whole thing is as heavy as fuck. It made me want to climb the highest Tor on Dartmoor with a big ass ghetto blaster and crank the hell out of it while being lashed by the wind and rain!!! Stunning stuff mate, you’ve really spoilt me this year with Firebird, Catapault the Smoke and now this…this tops them all!!! I don’t even think the Clutch album will better this to be honest, this has album of the year all over it for me!!!”
Yes people, this album is that good…this is the musical equivalent of Stonehenge, the pyramids, the Inca temples, Ayres Rock…etc. It’s a towering monument of beauty, power, mystery and magnitude. The juggernaut of riffs betrays influences from medieval folk as much as they do the power of Sabbath. The vocals come from the heart and rasp the throat on their way out. Everything about this entire album is perfect…the song writing, the playing, the production, the cover…the list goes on and try as I might I just can’t find fault, in fact it just keeps getting better!!! I am literally struggling to say any more about this as it defies my grasp of the English language!!!
Album of the year? Almost certainly. Will they have problems topping this with album number two? I certainly hope not.
Mesmerising, crushing and beautiful…buy it now, then buy copies for all your friends!!!
Label: MeteorCity (CD) / Electric Earth (LP)
Website: www.myspace.com/blackpyramidkills
Scribed by: Ollie Stygall
