An onslaught of monumental riff sorcery and serpentine grace, Black Moth rose from the Leeds underground scene at the end of the last decade, indulging their love for both Sabbath sulphur and Stooges squalor. Their debut ‘The Killing Jar’, which was released in 2011, effortlessly transcended its influences to arrive at a nefarious and turbulent brew, equal parts horror movie atmosphere, thunderous drive and maverick spark, with Harriet Bevan’s biting and beguiling voice leading the charge.
Expanded from their original four-piece to five, this full-on proposition took to the road, touring with Turbowolf, not to mention laying waste to festivals from Download, to Reading/Leeds, to Desertfest. A limited single on Too Pure, ‘Savage Dancer/Tree Of Woe’ showcased an addictive stomp that was as much in service of Bolan as Beelzebub. Yet Black Moth weren’t satisfied, and amidst a turbulent and tumultuous 2013, they set about transcending their original paradigm, fuelled by school-of-hard-knocks malice, and with the fire of their fortitude as vivid as the glow of the tubes in their ampstacks.
The result, ‘Condemned To Hope’, produced like their first by Jim Sclavunos (Grinderman, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, The Cramps) takes their kaleidoscopic heaviosity and sepulchral style to a whole new plateau of riff-driven dementia. It’s an album of fearsome drive and clandestine twists, skilfully sidestepping the cliché and heavy-handedness of delivery that often seems fit to destroy contemporary heavy rock ‘n’ roll from the inside out.
A turbulent brew with just as much 60s garage rock bite, head-spinning psychedelia and ‘1991-The-Year-That-Punk-Rock’ grit to offer as Vinum Sabbathi riffage. ‘Condemned To Hope’ is where Black Moth truly render themselves a glimmering presence in the firmament of 21st century rock. A band just as comfortable sharing the Temples festival bill with the likes of Electric Wizard and Neurosis as they are alongside Nick Cave, Iggy Pop and Deborah Harry on the forthcoming Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions album ‘Axels And Sockets’, and having already laid waste to Europe in support of Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats, this uniquely potent and poleaxing proposition are set to spread their wings to oblivion and beyond in September and October with their own headline UK tour.
View video for single, ‘Room 13’:
BLACK MOTH UK TOUR:
Fri 26 Sep, Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
Sat 27 Sep, Liverpool, Kazimier
Sun 28 Sep, York, Duchess
Wed 01 Oct, London, Underworld
Thu 02 Oct, Birmingham, Asylum 2
Fri 03 Oct, Manchester, Roadhouse
Sun 05 Oct, Glasgow, The Attic
Mon 06 Oct, Sheffield, Corporation
‘Condemned To Hope’ is released by New Heavy Sounds on September 15th. Pre-order now:
