Diligent readers may recall the great cataclysm our Swamp computing machine experienced some months ago, in which many albums were lost. Over time we have recovered much of it, but some in particular have been difficult to track down in listenable form. Surprisingly this album was among them, and for some time I was forced to make due with inferior and stuttering versions, but (after what seems like an inordinate amount of time and sweat) I've obtained a working crisp copy. In fact, I'm listening to it as you read this. For the uninitiated, Black Death was/is Cleveland's premier all-black heavy metal juggernaut, an unholy amalgam of Motorhead, Venom, Mercyful Fate, and leather-era funk-noise like Wicked Witch or the nastiest coke depths of Rick James. I'll not ruin all the special moments of enlightenment awaiting you if this is your first time, because I'm about to stop typing and finish listening to it.Your Mother Can't Help You Now
Upon further listening, there are some smallish flaws. Is there a clean copy out there?
ReplyDeleteI like the new look around here. Tim Gunn would be tres impressed.
ReplyDeleteIt's what they call "taking it to the next level."
ReplyDeleteBlack Death were an awesome band that should have been able to make a big splash during the metal revival of the 1980s, but, as usual, a Cleveland band got overlooked (just like Mushroomhead was overlooked but Slipknot got a huge contract and lots of label support, even though Mushroomhead was doing it first - and much better in my opinion. Same thing happened with Hostile Omish, who were passed over while the similar sounding Dead Milkmen got the deal).
ReplyDeleteBlack Death had a built-in 'gimmick' (for lack of a better term), as a black metal band playing very heavy music, and I always believed that they could have been huge had they had a label push. I mean, Bill Peters and his label, Auburn Records (see also Breaker) have done rather well - especially in Europe - and put a lot of energy into promotion, but never had the power of the majors.
By the way you missed an influence in your description of the band - Judas Priest. It wasn't too long after I'd first heard of them that I heard a song on one of our college radio stations (I wanna say it was 'Streetwalker') and I thought they were a new British band. I was pleasantly surprised and an instant fan when I found out it was actually Black Death, and we became good friends.
I've been trying to find this album for AGES and I'm so glad you posted it here. Unfortunately, Phil has been dead for a long time now, and there will never be another band like them (although Siki does have a new group that has played out once that I know of, but unfortunately I had to miss that show).
"Kick your parents out and turn your music up LOOOOOUUUUUDDDDD!!!!"....Black Death,true BLACK metal. Go buy/dl the new Midnight!!!!!! and Destructor and H'100's and Boulder!!!
ReplyDeleteNice record. I enjoyed reading jjreding's comment!
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