With song titles like “Bitches get Stitches”, “Dick”, and “Sucks To Be You”, you know at the very least Black Mass will be a pretty entertaining album. If you missed The Fall Of Troy, have no fear because Thomas Erak is back with Just Like Vinyl adding some swagger and southern metal to his previous outfits post-hardcore sound to create something else entirely.
Beginning with a rumbling crescendo, “Safety Word” builds to the inevitable musical conclusion and explodes to life. “Bitches Get Stitches” is almost Coheed-ish at times in the vocals department but musically, Just Like Vinyl are a heavier beast. Proving that JLV is something else, “Walk You Home” is more a straight rawk affair and incredibly accessible especially with that radio-friendly guitar solo in the middle. Continuing the trend set by “Walk You Home”, “Hours And Whiskey Sours” treads the poppier side of ETID, He Is Legend, and Maylene & The Sons Of Disaster. And if you like Buffalo’s favorite metal meisters then “Dick” will have you craving your Hot Damn albums.
Elsewhere on Black Mass, “ATM” brims with Don Caballero style guitar tweaks and borders on prog while “Pressure/Release” is more hard rock than metal And “First Born” is just plain fantastic which is the beauty found on the album. No two songs sound the same yet they are all inherently Just Like Vinyl and they all sound awesome.
Black Mass is out now through Superball Music.
Grade: B