Black Spiders - Deaf Proof

 

Key Facts

Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Genre: Hard Rock

Release Date: 12th February 2021

Record Label(s): Dark Riders

Band Members

Pete 'Spider' Spiby - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

Ozzy 'Owl' Lister -  Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals

Mark 'Dark Shark' Tomas -  Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals

Wyatt 'Octopus' Wendels - Drums

Adam 'The Fox' Irwin -  Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals

Black Spiders - Good Times

Review

Rating (out of 5🤘): 🤘🤘🤘.5

Favourite Track(s): The Weight, Ancient Astronaut

The Sheffield rockers have a special place in everyone's hearts and after a brief four year break up, the band have returned with a classic riff driven four track EP to get you moving! For those who haven't heard of Black Spiders, they are a very Northern fast paced and energetic amalgamation of  bands such as Black Sabbath, Motörhead, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, to name a few. Even so, you dear reader are in for a feast of classic rock showmanship from some of England's finest, it is exciting times indeed knowing that Black Spiders have ventured out of the mists of obscurity to entertain us once again!

Despite having had a brief split, it has not affected the signature Black Spiders sound in the slightest. Alongside 2020's single Fly In The Soup, Deaf Proof is a more refined and rejuvenated version of the sound which the band first pioneered on 2011's barnstorming debut album Sons Of The North. It doesn't dine out on nostalgia though, the band have a new found energy and focus more on the more bluesy influences they have, especially in Good Times, a certified party track that is a sure fire song to get you moving. With it's blues rock based rhythm and chord sequence you definitely get and old school AC/DC and Airbourne vibe from it. The EP has a very live feel to it, as well as an old school rock attitude but with modern sensibilities. It also delivered tenfold on the influences that inspires the music, as each song has it's own unique feel to it, for example The Weight is very Sabbath-esque making it the darkest song on the album. With its slow doomy riffs and solemn leads it is complete contrast to the rest of the EP and helps shake up the dynamics of an otherwise full on EP. One element that is easy to fall in love with is the layering of vocal harmonies, they give the songs a fuller and richer texture as well as being catchy as hell! This is best demonstrated on Ancient Astronaut, the song will get you "all wrapped up" in it's insane catchiness and solid bass grooves. EP closer Power In The Darkness has a southern rock feel with a distinctly northern English roughness, whilst revolving round the eternal rock topic of darkness in the human soul. From start to finish the EP just oozes classic rock class and raw power. Squealing guitar leads and driving drums will have you wishing that you were screaming down the motorway at 100mph watching the wold hurtle pass you. Overall the EP is four absolutely banging tracks fuelled by classic rock epics and blues rock grit, an awesome return for the band that will no doubt be the top of summer playlists this year. 

The production has a nostalgic classic rock feel with a modern contemporary hard rock professionalism. The mix is clean but retains this gritty energy within the guitar tones and vocals, with the distorted bass filling the low end with glorious warmth. The kit sounds really tight in the kick and snare department, which helps emphasise the drive in the rhythms. The kick has a great pulsing thump to it, as do the toms, whilst the snare has a steady snap. The guitar tones are almost like an AC/DC and Motörhead hybrid, as they pack a punch but still have a valve-y warmth common on modern blues records. The bass has an awesome distortion and rumble to it that really helps the guitars pack a punch when it comes to chords. The lead and harmony vocals are mixed really well, layered to give a rich texture and the panning makes it feel like they are singing all around you. This helps you really appreciate the range of all the guys in the band. Overall, a hark back to classic rock albums with modern professional cleanliness.

If you fancy going (ironically) deaf to Deaf Proof then welcome back the Sons From The North and blast the new EP now!

Black Spiders - Deaf Proof