Hailing from Münster, Germany, Black Space Riders are a quintet and self-proclaimed purveyors of space-rock. D: REI (BSR Records)is the group’s third album, and at 80 minutes, is more of a polished stoner prog epic than a simple rock album. The band is made up of Je (lead vocals, guitars), Seb (Also lead vocals), Sli (guitars), Saq (bass), and Crip (drums, vocals), and as with any releasing a prog album, there’s a concept. Each letter represents a different sequence of the album: D – Defiance, R – Ruins, E – Escape, I – Beyond, but there’s very little else tying the whole thing together; the music on offer swings from dirty Queens Of The Stage groove (‘Letter To Young Ones’) and melancholic doom (‘Major Tom Waits’) all the way to a stoner’s take on Nine Inch Nails industrial (‘Give Gravitation To The People’) and quiet prog melodies (‘I see’).

Musically and vocally this album is all over the place, which is good if you like to be kept guessing, but it means there’s a general lack of cohesion. The fact there’s two lead vocalists only adds to the confusion; one song you’re given Orange Goblin-esque barks, the next a deep baritone more suited to a goth rock, and it’s often the vocals which are the biggest turn off.

That being said, there’s plenty of impressive musicianship; massive riffs are delivered in spades, and despite there being a few too many average ones, there are some very impressive moments. ‘Major Tom Waits’, ‘Space Angel (Memitim)’ and album closer ‘The Everlasting Circle of Infinity’ are all enjoyable slabs of stoner rock.

Overall, D: REI is a mixed bag. Covering pretty much the entire spectrum of Sabbath-worshiping music, there are plenty of really enjoyable moments. But there’s also plenty of chaff in between and the whole thing could do with being about half an hour shorter.

6.5/10

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Dan Swinhoe