Rock veterans Blacklevel Embassy have released a new album, and things aren’t slowing down.
Kickstarting with title track ‘New Veteran,’ the album states its purpose with the thrashing of a few power chords, and a hectic drum line. The further you progress into the song (and furthermore, into the album) the more out of control the music begins to feel.
It’s a calculated madness though. Discordant and unstructured, yet somehow in a way that works for what the band is trying to achieve.
With tracks that jump in style and mood abruptly, and a ‘we’re playing this song for the first time as a group here in the recording studio’ kind of sound, Blacklevel Embassy are worthy of the rocker title.
‘Gary’ is a standout, with an effective (if somewhat repetitive) guitar riff and a suspenseful, aching vocal. ‘Tony,’ oddly placed and sung with an Australian accent that’s oddly reminiscent of 360, mixes up the album, adding to the jumpy, frictional feel.
Blacklevel Embassy bring so much energy to the record; an energy they have been known for all throughout their career and one that won’t disappoint those with an already astute knowledge of the group’s past hits.
The record ends as epically as it begins with the track ‘I Keep Making Tiny Men’. New Veteran doesn’t wind down towards its completion, it just pushes itself harder and harder until it eventually ends as abruptly as it begins.
It’s an acquired taste, but if rock is what you’re after you’ll be hooked for sure.
