6th February 2025

Review: “Bloodlines” by Black .44

When its distilled down to it’s purist form, with their first album Helsinki Finland natives Black .44 told dark stories about your regular hometown murderers, committed by the local psychopath and inflicted upon poor souls that just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. A decade after the Stoner Sludge Metal act gave us “No Blanks” in 2015, the quartet return having wandered the wilderness, to finish a sophomore album that they started recording in November 2016 in Jyväskylä at SN-Audio Productions with Teemu Liekkala (Dark The Suns, Joviac, Rioghan). Naturally to Liekkala they return, however only to record rhythm guitars, bass and drums as well as to mix and master. Lead guitars recorded by Janne Lunnas of Alase, keyboards and vocals at Blackout Studios in Brussels by Déhà, Jeremie Bezier and Jonas Sanders…

There can be no doubt that “Bloodlines” has been something of a labour of love that may not have happened had the prevailing winds blown in another direction and questions remain unanswered. Like will there be more where this came from? Are these the songs from 2016 or fresh works? Either way, the album begins in earnest with “Intolerance“, a cut with flavours of Down and Seamless about it with a main riff fit for worship and a wealth of tasteful leads. The Southern Metal vibes about it are as delicious as the gruff vocals and the track has instant appeal, the kind of cut that has you nodding your head to the groove on the first listen. Title track “Bloodlines” is a slightly slower burn with less intensity, whispered vocal parts adding another dimension to the warm, fuzzy almost Fu Manchu like riffage. Tastefully done and timeless in approach, there is absolutely nothing to carbon date this record as originating in 2016. Harnessing some inspiration from Corrosion Of Conformity and injecting some news reel samples “The Kingdom” points the finger and asks for another lie. A class act from start to finish, rounded off with a flaming solo that melts the fretboard after earworm riffs, its the kind of tune you want blasting out the Jukebox in your favourite drinking establishment.

Getting serious for a moment “Again” brings delicate, vulnerable and emotive vocals in the vein of early Alice In Chains with a distinctive weight and gravity to them. Another masterful extended solo from Antti Röksä gives it the edge it needs, elevating everything before the later harsh vocal parts come into play. While the track stands out on its own, the atmospheric is so powerful that it dampens the opening of “The Motherf***er Song“, leaving us wondering if it would have been better served as a grand finale. A repeating chant of “The motherf***ers always trying to push us down!” is always going to be a stone cold winner for live shows and festival appearances and wrapped in chunky riffs with just the right amount of aggression it’s seriously addictive. “Vril” then returns to the clean vocals alongside a soul stirring main riff before a dropping out to a Pink Floyd style 1970’s Progressive Rock instrumental passage that brings all the psychedelia of an acid trip. A left field move before a return to the original riffs for a final chorus with a twist, it will leave you bamboozled.

Whether intentional or not “Will the Real Jesus Christ Please Stand Up?” should instantly make you think of a certain Hip-Hop cut from the millennium year. That’s where the comparison ends with an old school Stoner Rock cut that sounds like its rooted in 1980’s dark synth pop embellished by keyboards playing out. An ambient, almost science fiction style bridge to the final catchy chorus is a nice touch but sonically you can’t help but feel like you’ve heard it before. Serial killer vibes return with “Angst” as Jason asks how it feels to take a life, a soaring eerie quality to the sonic backdrop making way for a return to southern groove in the final moments but nothing could prepare you for what happens next. A Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds like acoustic murder ballad with synths offers a dull ache before an epic instrumental bridge and cellos. “Aftermath” is a thing of dark beauty to complete an album that proves once and for all that variety is the spice of life, majestically delicate until a crushing finale that you have to hear to believe. As the final piano note hangs in the air, you can’t help but wonder if this truly is the end [7/10]

Track Listing