Author: Adam Gorecki

To me, the concept of ‘black rain’ suggests an uncontrollable storm; and within the whirlwind of the chaos comes an essence of elegance and beauty. 

Black Rain’s debut self-titled album emits this very essence. A collection of tracks that are heavily enthused by the thematic, rhythmic drumming and firing guitar riffs which in their own right, reflect being in the eye of the storm. With this in mind, the album finds comfort indulging in its darker undertones of pain and suffering. Intertwined with these distressing lyrics are the eccentric and suspenseful instrumentals supplied by the likes of Scott Hays, Josh Cowey, and Mick Christon that bring you up and throw you crashing back down to Earth amongst the black rain itself. 

What we listen to is the sound of the North East of England, a cry from the heart of industrialisation, enriched and merged with the ingredients of post-punk and gothic sounds. 

From the outset, the single, ‘Inside’ is a highly appropriate introductory track for the project. From the psychedelic riff at the start, the track beckons for your intrigue and goes on to evolve and carry itself well. Complimented by authentically ruthless drumming from Mick Christon, the song progresses into something quite enthralling and explosive. The vocals particularly, strike me as something very ‘Idles’ inspired, echoey and deep; again, its suites the track very well and makes it feel complete. 

As the album grows into itself, we see Black Rain grow into their more ‘daring’ nature and aim to experiment with their sound. Tracks like ‘Shotgun’ really push their capabilities instrumentally. The latter end of the track finds itself caught in a spiralling guitar riff that guides you into a thumping oblivion provided by a heart pounding drum beat. The entire track as a whole grabs you by the hand and unapologetically drags you through this beautifully distorted vortex, and I suggest that you allow it to do so. 

The track, ‘Fear’, struck me with intrigue at first. I’m always curious about songs that hold the potential to explore human emotions and psyche. One questionable feature for this track, particularly, is how I found it hard to identify the lyrics due to the mixing of the instrumental. This is entirely forgivable due to Black Rain utilising their strengths as instrumental craftsmen, however, it would’ve been nice to have this song allow me to dive into it further with maybe a bit more balance to the mix. Casting this aside, I was electrified by the piercing nature of this track. The words ‘raw’ and ‘electric’ are thrown around the columnist vocabulary very loosely nowadays, but I think this makes for an exception. The track wraps up the album’s collection of recorded tracks, and moves onto an array of atmospheric live hits. These live recordings serve as 4 out of the 9 tracks on the overall record. If done correctly, live recordings implement fresh dimensions to tracks that deserve it, and sometimes, allow these tracks to be played in their most true and most authentic form. 

Having ‘Shadows Cry’ as a live recording emphasises a dooming echo across the entire track that compliments Josh Cowey’s vocals massively. Furthermore, it births new elements to the closing guitar solo. In the final stretch of the project, we meet track 9, ‘Dust Tubes’. Beginning in a similar fashion to the introductory track, the song throws us in with a rippling guitar riff and utilises the live ambience to take you deeper into Black Rain’s distorted storm. 

What Black Rain offers you in their debut project is their passionate and unique rendition of the post-punk genre. There’s a clear demonstration of creativity, especially surrounding the twisted and immersive chemistry between the drums and the guitar solos. The album takes you to a realm where all is crashing down upon itself but in the most painfully beautiful way possible. It’s a great start for the band; a lot of the tracks feel complete and there’s a clear attempt to allow songs to grow and evolve into themselves. Furthermore, the heavy involvement of live tracks adds depth to the listening experience. It’s chaotic, uncontrollable, spiralled and loose. It’s Black Rain and the clouds are closing in.

Adam Gorecki is a London-based writer, maker, and photographer with a broad love for anything that catches his curiosity, particularly music. Graduating with a Level 4 Diploma in Copywriting from The College of Media and Publishing, he sees music as a complex social study and is fascinated by how brilliant ideas can be brought to life.