Black Ink River – Through The Unknown

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Sweden has yet again released band, BLACK INK RIVER. However, the eclectic back ground of its members have created a unique sound. With members coming from previous bands that played Death Metal, Blues and Rock… I am looking forward to this one. The artwork shows the band members all sitting together in the garden, it has a 70’s aura surrounding it. The opening track “Through The Unknown” fades in, in a misty and swirling trance, enticing the listener in. The short and sweet instrumental introduction just catches your attention and I am ready for what’s to come. “Sulphur Sky” kicks in with a real Old School Rock atmosphere, the clean cut guitars piercing the breaks in the vocal track with silky runs and solos before returning to short, punctuated chorded riffs.

“No No No” continues the groovy and succulent music, just forcing me to sink further into the hole that has opened up and swallowed me. “Midnight Cowboy” somehow strips back this already fairly bare style a little further, and the Blues influences become more prominent. In fact, I found it somewhat reminiscent of JIMI HENDRIX. This album is so relaxing, the music just flows in such a pleasurable way. As “When I’m Gone” flows over me, I can sit back and close my eyes and just float on an ethereal wave of aural delight, the gentle vocal talents of Daniel supported in this beautiful duet with Chasmin, the soft guitar licks… It has it all and I am loathe to see it come to an end.

This HAS to be heard people!!! But that’s enough of the BLACK INK RIVER’s vulnerable side, as “Seabeast” comes rolling in hot. The bouncy riffs and rhythms are just a cry out to the listeners to move and dance. I just want to jump ahead, to the finale. “I Am Fire” is an up-tempo energetic and feel good final track that I can see being used as a show closer, it works so well closing out this album. Don’t be fooled though, the LP release of “Through The Unknown” is the twelve track brilliance laid before us today, but there is a CD option which comes with a whacking TWO MORE TRACKS! I know what I am doing payday!..

This album is everything that is good about music. It’s innocent, it’s feel good and it just makes you want to dance. In fact it brought back memories of when I played in a band back in my schooldays, we were trying to be very similar. But how would I describe BLACK INK RIVER?.. If you plucked the best bits of the haydays of 60/70’s rock, melded them all together, turned that into music… Well then you would have, BLACK INK RIVER and “Through The Unknown”.

Songwriting: 10
Musicianship: 10
Memorability: 10
Production: 10