Back in the day, music was tribal, and people were happy to draw neat and imaginary lines of demarcation between one sound and scene and another. Punks stared across these boundaries menacingly at popsters, indie kids glowered at goths, and rockers pointed accusingly at new romantics. But, thankfully, we have seen the error of our ways and today, things are much more harmonious when it comes to music, its followers and even the creative process itself. It is why bands like Black Rose Burning are seen as the perfect marriage of sounds when, in earlier times, they might have been regarded as an anomaly, falling between two groups of fans.
That they are free to weave whatever musical strands together wherever they might find them, pick up whichever sonic shiny thing they cast their eye over is what makes their music work so well and “Fight” is the latest example of them doing so.
It is a fantastic blend of synth-fueled futurism and traditional rock grit, clubland chic and driving riffs, New Romantic textures and soulful tones, gothic undercurrents and pop accessibility, love, loss, longing and science fiction. It has it all. But then main man George Grant has been at this for a while; he knows what he is doing.
“Fight” foreshadows their new album Ad Astra and is the most collaborative album from the band to date. Previously Grant has been happy to record the albums himself; this time out, his musical cohorts, namely Frank Morin of World Inferno Friendship Society and drummer Luis Infantas of Monster Zero have become an integral part of the song development.
Black Rose Burning was always great, but this new approach sees them setting new, even higher benchmarks for themselves. And if you have any doubts, “Fight” and Ad Astra are all the proof you will need.
Ad Astra’ album order / Bandcamp
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