Way back in the depths of history, 2016 to be precise, Vancouver psych rockers Black Mountain released their fourth album, aptly titled IV in the grand tradition of colossal and transformative fourth albums by their rock predecessors. That album was cheekily billed as “their strongest material to date” by head Mountain Stephen McBean and was met with overwhelmingly positive critical acclaim and commercial success. The outpouring of good will put the band in the peculiar position of topping not only such a lauded album, but their own hubris as well and this past May the highly anticipated follow up was released. Destroyer is a fresh start for Black Mountain; new members, new sounds, and new subject matter to keep their synth-infused classic psych rock style from gathering dust by hurtling the band forward at a breakneck pace with a massive touring schedule to match. Last weekend Black Mountain kicked off the first of two nights in New York at the Bowery Ballroom to an intimate and highly engaged crowd eager to experience the unbridled power of one of the heaviest bands in the business.
A lot of established bands play it safe when selecting their opening acts, choosing up-and-coming artists that align with their own musical output or exist within the same sonic solar system. Not so with Black Mountain. McBean’s famously esoteric tastes frequently result in challenging pairings designed to expose and enlighten or just plain fuck with audiences and this show was no different.
Ryley Walker opened up the evening joined by improvisational musician Ryan Jewell to perform selections from their co-release with Steve Gunn, Flops In New York. Walker is typically recognized as a talented singer-songwriter whose raw acoustic stylings aligned well with some of Black Mountain’s earlier folk-leaning output, but tonight’s performance was as far removed from those sounds as possible. Equipped with a simple drum kit and an impressive array of percussive accessories, as well as a beat-up guitar connected to pedalboard that would give even the most hardcore pedal nerds fits, Walker and Jewell unleashed a set of loose and experimental instrumentation that can best be described as derelict spaceship jazz. The kind of noise one would hear from the house band at a deep space speakeasy on the brink of an event horizon.
Barely slowing down for air for over 30 straight minutes, Jewell arm wrestled his kit to produce rhythms imagined to be only possible by the most Frankenstein of analog drum machines while Walker played guitar like a man assimilated by the Borg, sounds tearing from his amplifier like a robotic nightmare of system-wide malfunction. Out of the chaos and free form expression the duo would seamlessly shift gears into a lockstep formation, their instruments coalescing into beautiful structures or krautrock jams before evaporating into the ether or collapsing in upon themselves with measured calamity.
As abruptly as it began, Ryley Walker’s set ended. Walker and Jewell broke down their gear and bounded off the stage as the audience cheered in marvelous appreciation for the musical insanity that had just unfolded before us. The main event was about to begin.
I’ve been a veteran of the Black Mountain Army since the band’s debut and have seen them perform several times, but this show was going to be different. Destroyer saw the departure of long time Mountaineers Joshua Wells and Amber Webber and with them a significant portion of the somber, often medieval weight that characterized the band’s early catalog, in addition to the denim-and-flannel Pacific Northwest folk undercurrent that served as a stylistic anchor for the band as McBean continued to lead them ever higher into the stratosphere.
Untethered by the two people that were very likely keeping him sane, McBean kicked Black Mountain into high gear bringing in Rachel Fannan (Sleepy Sun, Pussy Riot) as a new vocalist and drawing wild-eyed inspiration from a wide range of sources including his own side-projects. The guitars are sharper than ever and the synths even more intergalactic, a sonic representation of cheeseball but oh-so-awesome airbrushed van murals starring wizards, warriors, and wyrms. My body was ready and my mind was open for what was sure to be a fresh and fascinating set.
Black Mountain exist in a unique place within modern popular music. Seemingly just arrived from a parallel universe where Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd merged together in an unfortunate Star Trek transporter accident, then slingshoted around the sun into a retro future where classic rock didn’t die but instead just hung out at the local skate park for all eternity with the neighborhood heshers, smoking weed and talking about The Lord Of The Rings and aliens. This is the kind of music that builds bridges, uniting your cool uncle, hipster cousin, and shithead little brother around the basement stereo as these typically disparate factions bond over newly discovered common interests and pass a joint while retreating from the familial obligations of yet another Thanksgiving dinner.
The evening’s set leaned heavily into material from Destroyers and their monumental sophomore release, In The Future, with a smattering of cuts from across the Black Mountain discography. Opening with the one-two punch of new tracks “High Rise” and “Future Shade” it was immediately apparent that this is most certainly not the old Black Mountain. Where previous performances were characterized by a kind of slow and hazy deliberation that distilled even the band’s hardest hitting tracks into a trance inducing psychedelic miasma, the newly refreshed lineup injected an unprecedented shot of energy directly into the veins of the band. Slow burners like “Angels” felt less like a band in repose and more akin to the feeling of waking up on the first day of a long weekend, awash in sunlight and alive with the possibilities of the day.
Black Mountain’s penchant for the impossibly epic was in full effect, McBean’s guitar clean and clear slicing through thick and potent waves of analog synth and backed by a rhythm section so formidable I imagine this is probably the closest modern music fans can get to experiencing the mythological sonic punishment unleashed by combined powers of John Paul Jones and John Bonham in the 1970s. The most recognizable lineup change for Black Mountain: The Next Generation is the role now filled by Rachel Fannan. When Destroyer was originally released, I was slightly nervous that despite the impressive talent and lengthy musical resume Fannan brought to the table Black Mountain would seem somehow lesser without Amber Webber on vocals. Those preconceptions were quickly put aside as Fannan absolutely killed it on the record, but it wasn’t until this show that I fully understood the sheer amount of high-kicking vivaciousness her presence contributes to the band, inspiring the old dogs to learn all sorts of new tricks.
It’s hard for me to pick the best moment of the performance as the entire show was so incredible. The metallic sludge of “Horns Arising” saw the band trudging through an apocalyptic deathscape of robotically distorted vocals courtesy of Moog-master Jeremy Schmidt, briefly breaking into a delicate acoustic reprieve before the sonic destruction began again, horns arising on a lake of fire like a pagan idol of death looming over the sonic chaos raging forth from the PA. “Tyrants,” with its fantasy epic atmosphere and poignant political posturing set off by a triumphant riff so inspiring you can almost see the Rohirrim cavalry charging over the hill into battle. The seductive and skintight strip club anthem “Boogie Lover” with a bassline so filthy the venue probably needed to be hosed down after everyone left. The entire setlist was magical.
The air was still buzzing when the lights came up after a monumental rendition of “Mothers Of The Sun” on the encore. A glance around the room showed faces aglow, awestruck and radiating positivity in the aftermath of such an incredible set. We had witnessed something special. Black Mountain has a history of going dormant for long periods of time following an album release and subsequent tour, so it may be a while before the world gets to experience live rock and roll of this magnitude again. Hopefully this exciting reinvention and fresh energy brings the band back sooner rather than later, but just in case do not skip out on the last remaining dates of this tour. Get your tickets, lace up your boots, and join the Black Mountain Army. I’ll see you on the front lines.
Destroyer is out on Jagjaguar. Stream Black Mountain’s discography on Spotify and follow the band on Instagram
