Black Stone Brewers - Black Stone Brewers

​Black Stone Brewers

Black Stone Brewers
self-released; 2016

​3.6 out of 5

By Andrew Westberry

Hailing from Perth, Australia, Black Stone Brewers is a four-member rock band with a penchant for loud, tumultuous and aggressive rock n’ roll style. Founded at the end of 2014, the band has recorded two EPs in a home studio, and the most recent EP, their self titled sophomore release Black Stone Brewers was released in late February 2017 and contains six original songs.

The album begins with “Let Me In,” a rich, dark rock anthem with crashing cymbals, rock organ riffs and powerful electric guitars that introduce the listener to the rowdy, yet musically precise band. As the song progresses, a variety of moods are embodied by the band’s vocals and instrumentation -  cynicism, subdued angst and pure, unfettered emotional catharsis.

The record continues with “Eastbound,” a track which strikes a slightly more relaxed tone than the album’s opener. A catchy guitar riff, accompanied by steady, solid percussion, carry the song through the first minute before it is joined by melodic vocals and background harmonies. An extended guitar solo brings the song to a dynamic peak while highlighting the band’s technical skill.

The band delves back into dark, hauntingly ominous rock in “Kill Me Slow,” a drawn-out piece that accentuates the band’s aggressive side. “Iron Awe” maintains the band’s characteristic intensity, but hints of blues brings out a slightly brighter, more approachable facet of the band, as well as creating one of the fullest, most intricate soundscapes on the record yet.

​The album takes a serious dip in energy in “Little Thoughts” with minimalistic vocals and instrumentation laying down a sweet, simple tune that gradually crescendos back into the band’s typical full band sound, this time with piano added to the mix. As the record comes to a somewhat predictably vibrant ending in “Clear Trip,” it concludes this truly masterful collection from a particularly talented, skilled rock band.

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