Article By: Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker ‡ Edited By: Leanne Ridgeway
Vienna, Austria’s The Black Bones recently released their self-titled EP a scant two months ago, back in early January.
I have found myself jamming the five-song short-player quite a bit as of late. The music contained upon the record is an energetic elixir of psych-slanting blues-rock with a dash or two of Rockabilly nuances. It flows quite fluidly too, taking on several different vibes at various points which can be credited to Moritz Kristmann (Guitar, Vocals), Elias Kristmann (Bass, Vocals), and Arlyn Brecher (Drums).
From the speedier upswing of the opening “VU“, with its Sixties surf rock-like flare or the goth rock inflections of “Last Train B“, these numbers are all about diversity. That diverseness is achieved quite masterfully, each new number wielding a style so far removed from its predecessor.
Some of the more exceptional musical moments come with “Drown” and “They Will Have To Kill Us First“. The first is a hazy soup of simmering guitars, pulsating rhythms, and crunchy drums with a cool ass vocal a bit reminiscent of Billy Idol at times.
The latter is a stellar hard rock track as “They Will Have To Kill Us First” ripples with both swagger and bounce. Steady rivets of bluesy demeanor are offset with an almost Brit-like feel in the music ala early stuff from The Cult. Then there is the header straight into unrepentant psychedelia on the EP-ending “Alexander No. 1“. It’s a lysergic-lacerated song with ethereal elements so strong that the music seems like an out-of-body experience.
Come check out The Black Bones for yourself here, via the embedded stream of the band’s S/T EP here. You can also go the direct route to purchase the record here.
