Label: RidingEasy Records
Release Date: April 6th, 2018
Links: https://blackwaterholylight.bandcamp.com/
Line Up:
Allison (Sunny) Faris
Laura Hopkins
Catherine (Cat) Hoch
Sarah Mckenna
Tracklist:
01. Willow
02. Wave of Conscience
03. Babies
04. Paranoia
05. Sunrise
06. Slow Hole
07. Carry Her
08. Jizz Witch
Sometimes the setting for when you listen to an album for the first time is inspiration enough to dig what you’re hearing. On my way home from an Alice Cooper show in Greenville, NC I decided to take the time to check out some stuff for potential review purposes. I spend a good deal of time on the road (work and pleasure,) so this is the perfect time for me to listen to music (“work” or pleasure.) While my best friend was guiding me through some back roads in S.C. to avoid a bulk of the road construction leading into N.C. the path before me were these dark, curvy wooded areas, that alone would be spooky enough, but at the time I was spinning Blackwater Holylight’s s/t debut, which is also a dark and curvy album. Since I was going in without knowing much about it, I don’t think I could’ve picked a more perfect album for my travels. Luckily enough, back roads in S.C. weren’t the only thing that enticed me about this album.
Safely in the confines of my home, I decided to dig a little deeper into this album, to find that even without the backdrop, it is still a pretty cool album. It’s definitely not your typical metal album, and you can tell that they are pushing boundaries, yet doing it with much ease. On the surface, it seems like a quiet doomy sort of album with a Pagan rock feel, but there are elements of Alt Rock legends Sonic Youth, layered with Melvins doom meets The Cramps rockabilly vibe, yet clearly a wholly unique sound all their own. Tracks like “Paranoia,” “Willow,” and “Jizz Witch” I found of particular interest here, but really the album should be experienced as a whole.
I can’t really say much else about this brilliant debut from Blackwater Holylight. Clearly, the band has very diverse tastes, just listening to this collection of songs. I’ve never heard such wispy and dark music like this. It’s like a cold breeze over a creepy graveyard, haunting, moving, yet comforting. This is also an album that is great for headphones, to catch all of the nuances of the songs. If you like your metal a little on the non-conformist side, heavy but not so aggressive, light yet not fluffy, then Blackwater Holylight is the album for you.
Written by: Chris Martin
Ratings: 8/10
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