Blaak Heat are a French band who have recently relocated to Los Angeles, California, and their latest release Shifting Mirrors will see distribution via TeePee Records here in the US and Svart Records in Europe. Their brand of psychedelic/stoner rock also encompasses elements of Arabian musical themes, adding an intriguing element to their hard hitting sound. Along with plenty of thunderous riffs, trippy atmospherics, and a clear '70s vibe, the band also throws some wild sitar passages and other Middle Eastern elements into their wall of sound, making for a listening experience that's quite different from the norm. "Sword of Hakim" hits hard and heavy with crushing, doom laden riffing, while the rumbling grooves of "The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim" mixes with alluring Middle Eastern musical passages for an enchanting combination. Plenty of Mastodon styled riffs cascade over tumultuous rhythms and haunting keyboards on "Ballad of Zeta Brown", and urgent metal collides with Hawkwind styled space rock on the furious "Black Hawk". Arabian doom? Nope, it's not a term as far as I can tell, but that's the first thing that came to mind during the instrumental dirge that is "Tamazgha", and the band even pull off some nice proggy moments on "The Peace Within", as complex metal & Middle Eastern elements twist, turn, and weave around each other in dazzling fashion.
Shifting Mirrors is without a doubt an album that you will need to spend some time with; this is by no means catchy or instantly memorable music, but it's music that will reveal rewards the more exposure you have to it. As far as uniqueness goes, Blaak Heat are really onto something here.
Track Listing
1
Anatolia
2
Sword Of Hakim
3
The Approach To Al - Mu'tasim
4
Taqsim
5
Ballad Of Zeta Brown
6
Black Hawk
7
Mola Mamad Djan
8
Tamazgha
9
The Peace Within
10
Danse Nomade
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