BLACK WATER RISING - Electrified

November 17, 2017, 6 years ago

(Pavement)

Kelley Simms

Rating: 7.0

review heavy metal black water rising

BLACK WATER RISING - Electrified

Brooklyn-based hard rockers Black Water Rising has returned with its third full-length album Electrified. A four year break between albums hasn’t slowed down vocalist/guitarist Rob Traynor, drummer Mike Meselsohn, bassist Oddie Mclaughlin and guitarist Dennis Kimak. If you compare the band’s current sound with 2013’s Pissed And Driven, it still possesses the same rocking groove and swagger. 

The menacing “Obey” opens the album and builds up to a nice mid-paced Black Label Society groove with sludgy riffs and soaring Alice In Chains vocal harmonies. Follow-up “The Answer” is an upbeat rocker with an ’80s sleaze-metal swagger while tracks “Millennial Zombies,” “Foolish Pride” and “Buried In Black” possess memorable, melodic passages with catchy choruses. The gritty Godsmack-laden “Payback” and the emotive “Don't Wait Up” stands up well next to the grunge-flavored “Higher,” which reminds me a little of My Sisters Machine. Most of the 11 tracks stay in the mid-paced sludgy wheelhouse without much variation between riffs, guitar tone or tempo changes. The production is pretty decent though, allowing an equal mix of all the instruments with Traynor’s vocals slicing through brightly. Black Water Rising is a solid band with certain influences that cater to their style. Fans of Godsmack, Alice In Chains and Monster Magnet will be eager to check out Electrified.



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