I’ve been listening to Portland-to-LA based Blackwater Holylight since their first release in 2018. They’ve maintained a consistent sound, but at the same time morphed and grown it. To me, that’s a sign of a great artist.
Contrasting Not Here Not Gone with their self-titled, there is a slight shift from the riffs driving the music to the vocal melody being the driving force. I’m here for it. Stoner/doom music may be my most listened to genre, but that doesn’t mean all I want are nasty riffs.
The music is atmospheric, with the fuzzy guitar churning and the synthesizer swirling behind it. The vocals inform the mood of the song and demand the attention even with the soft, siren voice. It makes me think of a doomy version of Radiohead. Maybe that’s fitting since they covered All I Need on last year’s EP release.
Though this album is more atmospheric to me, they still bring out the doom. Spades delivers on that, and is currently the stand out track for me, along with Poppyfields.
I still haven’t seen them live, so hopefully they come through Dallas/Fort Worth this year.
slow draw is... 