Rising like a phoenix from the ashes that was the band Nekrofeist, we have Wollongong’s Carbon Black with their debut album ‘End Of This’. A follow up to EP ‘Principium’, the 4 pieces of New South Welsh metal-heads sound bigger, bolder and brighter on this album full of riffs and more hooks than any Captain Hook’s crocodile friends.
Black Carbon is vocalist Jon Hurley, guitars from Damon Bishop and a rhythm section combining brother’s Rob And Steven Giles, and they bring us their 10 track head-banging opus. So grab a beer, loosen those neck muscles and hang on tight.
Opening with ‘Timent Puer Natus’, it’s sinister, dark and rocks. A great intro to what’s to come. Which is title track ‘End Of This’, layered with a machine gun riff, the heavy artillery is sent in straight away, with this track instantly sounding more full and expansive than their EP. The vocals are reminiscent of Godsmack’s Sully Erna if he actually fucking sung with passion.
A common theme throughout this album is the heavy vibrations the musicians create, you can almost feel the floor shaking underneath you. Imagine this life, the floor shaking under your feet, it’s that good and its theme continued on ‘Ignorance’.
The band are compared to Pantera often and on the track ‘Unseen’, you can see why. A riff straight from ‘Far Beyond Driven’ with a catchy chorus, it then takes you into a world of mystical pleasures throughout the song before naturally the bone-crushing drums and guitars jolt you back to life.
It’s on the track ‘Cowards’ where a slightly different vocal element takes effect. Jon Hurley displays an almost Keith Caputo/Life Of Agony style of pain driven vocals, all the while over riffs that sound like a pneumatic drill having an orgasm.
The album does dip into their EP twice, first with ‘Deceive/Deny’ – a bass solo intro that leads into ‘Deny’, a slow-paced, rock number, and ‘Blood And Sacrifice’, a three-minute blast of fury, metal and anarchy.
‘Plastic Art’ continues to show the band at their metal best, while this is a good time to mention the searing guitar solo work from Damon Bishop throughout the whole album. Understated, superbly played, not over the top yet bursting through the roof.
The band finish with ‘My Own’, which combines a groove not dissimilar to Down’s ‘Bury Me In Smoke’ but with a mad double kick bass drum tearing a hole right through it, to start the song. Once you’re done being a rock god, you’ll be humming the chorus while washes the dishes the next day.
The breakdown showcasing the rhythm sections skills once again before it’s exploded into a wail of a solo.
Black Carbon has done well here with their debut album. There is to be a national tour later this month and I suggest listening to this album to get the neck muscles warmed up for what promises to be a heavy, and a hell of a good, show based on this album.
Carbon Black: Facebook
Release Year: 2018
Label: self-released
Category: Album
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Iain McCallum
