Self-proclaimed ‘drone rock’ exponents The Black Angels, bring their Austin, Texas-honed brand of psychedelia to Manchester’s Gorilla next month.
Currently touring their fourth album Indigo Meadow, The Black Angels draw their inspiration from fellow Austin, Texas heroes The 13th Floor Elevators as well as admiring the likes of The Velvet Underground, Spacemen 3 and The Brian Jonestown Massacre.
The band’s official website describes Indigo Meadow as ‘their most revelatory collection to date’ whilst going on to describe The Black Angels as ‘the undisputed avatars of contemporary psychedelic rock, simultaneously exalting the genre’s kaleidoscopic past as they thrust it further into the future.’
Formed in May 2004, The Black Angels are named after The Velvet Underground’s Black Angel Death Song from Lou Reed and company’s eponymous debut album and a further nod towards the garage-rock legends comes from The Black Angels official logo which features a portrait of occasional Velvet Underground cohort Nico.
Since their formation The Black Angels have toured with the likes of The Black Keys, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Warlocks and The Brian Jonestown Massacre as well as Queens Of The Stone Age, The Raveonettes, Wolfmother and The Horrors. They have also acted as the backing band for former 13th Floor Elevators front man Roky Erickson during his tour across the west coast of America in 2008.
As well as touring with some of the most critically acclaimed names in music, The Black Angels have also struck up a strong musical relationship with Unkle. In 2010 they collaborated on Natural Selection from Unkle’s Where Did The Night Fall? Album and more recently they have collaborated on the track With You In My Head from the Twilight Saga: Eclipse soundtrack.
Often praised for their live performances, The Black Angels continue to push the boundaries of their own music on Indigo Meadow and with psychedelia currently being in-vogue through artists such as Temples and Tame Impala, The Black Angels at Gorilla is a gig that certainly should not be missed.
The Black Angels are at Gorilla, Manchester, on Tuesday September 17.
Picture courtesy of Kris Krug, with thanks.
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