Black Sites are a heavy/progressive metal band from the US and this is their fourth album.
The Promised Land? is the 44-minute follow up to 2021’s enjoyable Untrue. That record was a strong one, narrowly missing on on my end of year list. I’m interested to see how The Promised Land? fares by the end of the year, as it’s arguably even stronger than its predecessor.
The Black Sites formula is one of classic heavy metal and thrash, with progressive metal elements blended in. On The Promised Land? Black Sites refine this further, delivering a diverse album that covers many bases. They have emphasised their progressive side more across the songs, allowing them free rein to roam, bringing in new ideas and exploring a range of creative avenues. The end result is a record that takes the Black Sites template and expands it, to great effect.
The songs may have elevated levels of intricacy and technicality as a result of the band’s increase in progressive stylings, but they don’t lose anything in hooks or catchiness. The progressive metal doesn’t have free reign to dominate, as it’s held in check by the heavy/thrash metal heart of the band, which always keeps things firmly on track. It’s an approach that has the best of both worlds really; the songs have more going on beneath the hood, while still having a shiny, stylish veneer.
The music boasts a wealth of melodies and riffs that grab the listener’s attention and hold it. The songwriting, structuring, and dynamics are all strong, and each track packs a punch. There is no filler, no wasted time or pointless interludes; Black Sites are focused and confident, and the songs reflect this. This is also true of the band’s singer, who sounds better than ever on this material. His voice is full of emotive power, while also displaying a talent for catchy hooks that’s impressive.
Oh my, this is a good one. Black Sites are firing on all cylinders on their new record. The Promised Land? is a very strong album. Time will tell if I prefer it to Untrue, but I’m reasonably sure I already do. The overall quality levels are actually higher in fact, while also offering a record with more diversity and depth. Yes, let’s go out on a limb and state that The Promised Land? is Black Sites’ best work so far.
Essential listening.
Wonderbox Metal 