Audio By Carbonatix
Black Metal Box
Black Metal Box
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(Self-released)
Grade: B
98 KUPD is the premier (if not the only) radio station in the Valley for rock and metal. The station has a devoted following of music lovers in it for the soul-crushing bass and the scream-your-pain away vocals, not the cookie-cutter pop-hop brought to you by countless other stations here.
So it’s no wonder local black metal band, Black Metal Box, released its self-titled debut album with a boost from KUPD. BMB won the station’s 2008 “PlayDio for the Homeless” contest and opened up for Trapt at The Tempe Market Place.
It’s a Cinderella story steeped in blood, sweat and heavy-metal tears to be sure, but how does the album sound?
The third track “In The Eye” and track five “Separate” define the album with fast, pounding drums, complimented by guitar riffs that make you want to throw up the devil horns with every strum. Not to mention a voice coming from Chris “Jax” Lawson that would make Lemmy eat his heart out.
I do have a problem with the last track on the album, “Revolution,” ad it has nothing to do with the music. It’s just a pet peeve of mine when local, or much lesser-known bands have song titles that immediately makes one think of a much more popular tune from about 40 years ago. And, of course, the word “revolution” is not uttered once in the whole song.
Black Metal Box is not going on my iPod, iTunes, or whatever other electronic appliance iOwn. Still, I surprised myself by basically enjoying what I heard and somehow suppressing my overwhelming urge to make fun of it.
For what they are, Black Metal Box hits their mark so well. Their passion for the music is obvious. So much so that you can’t help but give them a fair shot against some more well-known metal acts of today. They deserve it.
