Written by: Evelyn Barr
Band:
Album Title:
Release Date:
Black Lakes
Dead Gods
6th September 2024
When Black Lakes‘ debut album For All We’ve Left Behind was released way back in February of 2022, it very quickly established itself as a great album among the rock music listening world; receiving many great accolades including being ERB’s Album of the Year. The album was loud, riffy, with fabulous lyrics and choruses that an audience could sing along to. It truly was an incredible debut album. Could the second supposedly ‘difficult’ album stand shoulder to shoulder with its predecessor?
06-09-2024 is a very special date in the calendar as this is the date their sophomore album finally gets its wings and finds its way to an eagerly awaiting audience. The album is entitled Dead Gods and I was very proud and privileged to be asked to review it for ERB. Could this album surpass FAWLB ? I can undeniably say that it as and then some, its an album dealing with ‘in the now’ subjects like climate change, mental health and politics.
The album is 10 tracks long and the first of these is H.A.T.E.(here at the end) which deals with division and hatred throughout our societies and I thought it was a brilliant opening track and one I can’t wait to hear played live and its one that would be a good set opener on stage. Next up is Rapture and taking the line “Choking on the fumes” perfectly sums up the slow destruction of the planet. Hurricane was the second single to be released and it tackles the subject of politics and politicians who when asked the questions “never seem to have the answers”.
The first single to be released from the album was White Cliffs, a track which deals with the attitude of Government towards the “small boat situation” and how these poor unfortunates have set sail looking for “better days”. Vapour has an amazing synth sounding start which had me intrigued as to how this song would go and I needn’t have worried, it’s another cracker dealing with the subject of isolation and loneliness and how sufferers just want to “fade away” and then this is closely followed by the title track Dead Gods which also deals with loneliness and despair in our societies.
The third single to be released was Burn, another song dealing with how people cope dealing with depression and mental health issues on a daily, weekly, monthly basis and it is a truly powerful song. The most recent release, Dark Glass touches on the damaging effect that social media can have on relationships and this is followed by The Fallen which covers the feelings of self doubt, falling from grace and subsequently being cast out from society. The final track is Dark Before the Dawn is akin to a phoenix rising from the ashes of hopelessness and despair, it is a softer song but still poignant in its subject matter.
In the past year I have listened to many good albums, some very good albums and some really great albums and for me personally, Dead Gods is one of the great albums. This album has something for every rock music lover and singer Will Preston’s vocals are so emotion filled in each track. Black Lakes are top class, dedicated musicians who will soon be playing these songs at many a ‘sell out’ headline show around the UK and further afield.
For me, did this album raise the bar on FAWLB?… I can truly say it not only raised the bar but shoved it into the air by several feet.
06-09-2024 is a day you will never forget for a very long time.
Dead Gods can be pre-ordered from the Black Lakes website here
Black Lakes are:
Will Preston – Vocals
Scott Bradshaw – Guitars and Vocals
James Rowlands – Guitars and vocals
Lee Harris – Bass Guitars
Dafydd Fuller – Drums
Track Listing
- H.A.T.E
- Rapture
- Hurricane
- White Cliffs
- Vapour
- Dead Gods
- Burn
- Dark Glass
- The Fallen
- Dark Before The Dawn