Brighton four piece Black Peaks have released a new single in conjunction with the announcement of upcoming album All That Divides. Produced by Adrian Bushby (Grammy award winner for Muse and Foo Fighters), the album will release on 5th October via Rise Records/BMG, and is the second for the band; following on from their 2016 album Statues.
We’re loving “Home” as our introduction to this band and as an enticing taste to immerse further in their discography. The raw vocal focus of “Home”‘s introduction is captivating, with guitars so heavy, they feel like they could be in mourning. The rawness continues as the song expands violently, with an impressive showcase of Black Peaks’ skill.
Frontman Will Gardner is a stand-out, veering into staticky black metal-esque vocals at times, then sideways shifting into something more tender and clear. I’m spellbound by this ever twisting and turning vocal expression and liken it to a storytelling adventure. But this is barely the only strong point of the song. Steady riffs set a driven scene and craft their own intrigue, which gives the vocals the freedom to rip tears into an unbreakable canvas. The story unfolds because of foreshadowing played out in alluring basslines and thunderous drumming. Every piece of Black Peaks is creating this fascinating flawlessness.
“What becomes when we run home?”
I’m jaw-droppingly wow’ed and I’ve barely scraped the surface of what the song is sharing. Feeling like a long-distance journey to be endured, Will shares the very real inspiration behind “Home”:
“We were writing the song against the backdrop of a lot of uncertainty with regards to personal and political identity. We were out on tour in Mainland Europe in mid-2016, during a period where we as British Citizens felt like decisions being made on behalf of our “Home” did not represent us. There is a uneasy feeling of severance that happens when you are not physically at home during a time of transformation. Our feelings of disconnection and division from our country and it’s people, coupled with tour-fatigue and cabin fever, made for some of the most difficult times we have experienced, as a band, as friends, and as people.”
All That Divides will continue the theme of the fear of a future where freedom is restricted. Will shares, “We have seen people, families, relationships and countries divided by conflict and political upheaval, and our reaction to this is a core lyrical theme running through the album.” The album cam be pre-ordered HERE.
In the meantime, lose yourself to the experience of “Home”:
