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 Post subject: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:14 am 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:08 am
Posts: 1267
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Is it possible that there isn't already a review of this tape here? I searched but could not find. My review just went up today on Ripple. Lemmy know if I should delete this one and post it on an existing thread.

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There are many (too many, in fact) doom metal bands out there but I will always make time for Electric Wizard. Black Masses is the Dorset, England band’s 7th album and is pretty much business as usual but there are a few different audio elements to keep things from getting too redundant. The Black Sabbath/Pentagram foundation remains as well as NWOBHM creeps like Venom and Witchfinder General but there’s a stronger psychedelic feel than on some of their previous records. It also sounds a bit like the influence of fuzz-guitar maestro Davie Allan is in the mix, too. Not surprising since Electric Wizard love all the violent 60’s biker movies that Allan did music for just as much as the horror/cult films they sometimes sample.

The twin axe attack of singer Justin Oborn and wife Elizabeth Buckingham is very thick, fuzzed out and layered with trippy effects. Justin’s vocals pop in and out of the mix to bleat his bleak views and call upon Satan to help him navigate this wicked world. Shaun Rutter’s drums plod and thud accordingly in a most Master Of Reality way and blend well with new “necrobassist” Tas Danazoglou. It’s worth noting that Tas has some really intimidating facial tattoos.

For a band so heavy and negative, the songs are surprisingly catchy. “Black Mass” will have everyone yelling “hear me Lucifer” loud and strong at the live show. “Venus In Furs” is not a cover of the Velvet Underground classic (although I’d like to hear them tackle it) but does share the S&M subject matter. Clocking in at 8 minutes, my favorite song might be “The Nightchild” just because of the strong Witchfinder General feel.

The entire album is solid and flows together really well. The tempos are never too fast, and they really excel at the real snail crawlers like “Satyr IX.” There’s even an instrumental dirge called “Crypt Of Drugula” with some very cool atmospherics that’s cooler than anything Eno’s ever done. This is a great one to play late at night in a car full of people you don’t know very well. They’d really freak! Unless they’re already freaks, then they’d love it.

-- Woody
http://ripplemusic.blogspot.com/2010/12 ... asses.html

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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 1:47 pm 
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"with some very cool atmospherics that’s cooler than anything Eno’s ever done"


piss poor analogy right there

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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 2:41 pm 
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On great speakers or headphones, this album sounds fantastic. On garden variety stuff, not so much. I like the album, but I keep thinking I need to spend more time with it and never do. Probably why I let the vinyl slip away earlier this week.

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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 3:19 pm 
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I was hard on it for about a week. Just like with High on Fire, it's hard to put a new one ahead of most, if not all off their earlier stuff.

The production really sank this one after a few days of playing it, and I started to find fault with it

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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 11:42 am 
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I love it! E-wiz have left the sludge of the swamp in favor of the spectral paths of a malevolent black forest.
The new bassist, Taz, has very warm and fat bass lines and the Anton Levay looking drummer employs a primitive Paul Whaley wallop (recorded out of phase?) That makes sense in the overall production.
I wonder how this iteration of EW will sound live?
This is the best track on the album..

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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 9:58 pm 

Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:28 pm
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Location: O-Town, Florida
It was good, but I likes High on Fire's better. HoF beat out EW for my best of 2010 list.

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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 10:35 am 
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not a terrible album by any means, but it comes across as more of the same and doesn't pack the same whallop I yearn for when I listen to the mighty Electric Wizard. the production still sounds rather shitastic to my ears and I honestly find myself avoiding this one like an unwanted child. could it be possible that the band is TOO high? truthfully tho I wish there were more psyche-doom records out there in general, so I can't rag on it too too much... but this is, for me, their first foray into the unsatisfying world of meh

Overall Grade: C+

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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:14 am 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:48 am
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I'm digging this album more and more, it's miles better than Dopethrone, and I'd say also better than Witchcult Today even.

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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 8:29 pm 
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Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 11:01 am
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I love the album, but then again I love everything by Electric Wizard. I prefer Dopesmoker and Fanatics more but I think this is RIGHT behind them. Can't wait until I pick up the vinyl. I just have the torrent now, so I guess it will just get better.


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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 9:20 am 
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Do want!

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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 3:25 pm 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:08 am
Posts: 1267
Location: Brooklyn, NY
I like how close to the baby's crib that poster is.

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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:27 pm 

Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2011 6:54 pm
Posts: 155
I'm feeling somewhat underwhelmed by the songwriting. EW is a band that's always skirted being more style than substance (this is often to their credit; that album packaging is totally awesome, for example), and they seem to be headed more and more in that direction. To be fair, I've only listened to the album over the Internet, but I just don't hear any riffs/songs that jump out me the way "Funeralopolis," "Eko Eko Azarek," or even "The Chosen Few" did.


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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 12:35 pm 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:48 am
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I think the riffs are a bit more melody oriented, and work well with the vocals hooks. The thing that puts Dopethrone last in their catalog for me, besides the terrible sounding vocal and drum production, is that it has some big riffs, but the songwriting is pretty subpar and usually involved dragging out one big riff.

This album has a lot more hidden gems in the guitar department, big hooks that don't propel the song as much as augment it in the middle, and the verses and choruses are more the drive of the song than some riff that they're going to beat into the ground. In that respect, I see the last two albums in particular as HUGE steps over Dopethrone, in particular.

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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 4:23 pm 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:56 am
Posts: 529
Location: California
Dinger wrote....

"This album has a lot more hidden gems in the guitar department, big hooks that don't propel the song as much as augment it in the middle, and the verses and choruses are more the drive of the song than some riff that they're going to beat into the ground. In that respect, I see the last two albums in particular as HUGE steps over Dopethrone, in particular."

I totally agree. I could not say it better myself. So I didn't. But I am glad he did.
I am re-listening to it today, and I like it even more than when I first heard it. I loved it when I first heard it too.
I think they just keep getting better. While still remaining the same. In a good way, like all great bands.
Witchcult ruled too!
I hope they come back to the US.

In a year of many strong releases; High on Fire/Solace/Ufomammut/Black Pyramid Old One Split...This album still stands strong, getting better as time goes on. I listen to it a lot both in my car, and in earphones. I listen to Black Masses and Witchcult Today more than the older ones. Love the older ones too though.


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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 6:07 am 
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I always thought that beating one riff into the ground with tons of groove was EWiz's strong point...

Leave songwriting to the Beatles

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 Post subject: Re: Electric Wizard – Black Masses
PostPosted: Mon May 02, 2011 9:07 am 
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I like it, its still good.Worth getting IMO Different to the others I think. Defo different to Witchcult which I found to be fkn awesome. They would have to really screw it up for me not to like EW though! Top on my list of peeps I would invite for T and cakes.

Really love EW. They always create some real ART.My top 3 EW albums are as follows...
Everyone quite rightly says Dthrone is their best and it must piss Oborn off to keep hearing people say that. But it really is one of those albums that hit the bullseye. So many little synchonicities that happen with the timing of the samples and in the mix that just make it so special. Also Mark G s drumming is some of my fave ever, and Tim Bagshaws Bass playing is so inventive. Next in line for me is Witchcult. Fkn awesome album so catchy but surreal. and Fuzzy too. Probably their first album next, Gotta love it.


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