With their latest EP, Black Magician call on the pursuivant of the doom cult, the followers of valve amps and 70s fuzz. Alongside a handful of other bands advocating the return to analogue and a distinctly retro sound, they have managed to create a good blend of modern guitar clarity and nostalgic old sounds, ensuring they don’t fall into the easy trap of being another band making reproductions of old music while chanting praise for anything that comes from the past. There really isn’t a better time for this band to be around, with a return in popularity for vinyl and cassette this Liverpudlian quintet are far from being out of their time, they seem to be carving their own way in it.
For the adherents to the cult of Black Magician, The Pursuivant (Svart Records) as everything expected from a release by the band. The album is totally lacking in any recognizable familiar song structure, and has a distinct absence of any real choruses. This isn’t to say the songs are not enjoyable though, particularly opening track ‘The Pursuivant’ which relies on short riffs and returning refrains. Everything is dripping in layers and layers of warm fuzz, while the blaring Hammond organ sound flutters to the surface, before being replaced again by the rich guitar tones, which is all pulled together by barked lines from vocalist Liam Yates.
Despite only being three tracks long, the EP seems to cover a wide range of styles for the band, with the acoustic softer touches of ‘Grene Knyght’ to the dark, frantic almost hysterical instrumental track ‘Black Henbane.’ This change is style may be refreshing for the listener, but the release does seem to have been a little premature, and taking time out to work on a full-length album may have made these tracks make more sense together as a release. I’m not a convert just yet, but the guys certainly know how to pull together an interesting sermon.
7.0/10
Caitlin Smith