BLACK STATE HIGHWAY
Black State Highway
HNE Recordings Ltd – www.cherryred.co.uk
Every now and again a new rock band bursts upon the scene with the right approach, the right feel and the right material to make an impact. This is why I am excited about this debut album from Black State Highway, based on England’s South Coast.
They are the nearest thing I have heard in recent years to The Hoax in that they use roaring guitars, fiery rhythms and punchy drums and all stuffed with bluesrock riffs that take over your brain cells and get the feet tapping. This group is fronted by a female singer who seems to have a tuneful energy and well-placed abandon at times – one Liva Steinbergia, a spirited chanteuse who doesn’t let the band overpower her.
Guitars in the hands of Olie Trethewey and Jon Crampton ; Gordon Duncan on bass and Harry Bland on the drums.
The cuts : ‘Conclusion’ kicks off the set with grinding riffs , a hint of feedback and a Southern Rock tinge, Liva sounding like she means it, as the slide whines in the mix ; ‘Ain’t Got No’ is another punchy rockblues with rolling drum patterns.
‘Broken’ has a sombre watery UniVibe guitar intro and midnight blues bassline and brings a PortisHead trace before the heavy riff kicks in – a nicely measured delivery that is moody without being rock corn of the Foreigner persuasion ; ‘Free’ has a guitar noisefest before an irresistible run brings us maybe the best vocal of the set, almost like Garbage dabbling in the blues..and how well do the guitars work together here, light and shade make this work and it surely is a live favourite ?
‘Sacrifice’ is Metal Hammer territory, almost but melodically handled..I am more of a European FF metal band fan, if rawk is must be, so this is slightly outside my favoured strand. ‘Tekkers’ has a strident start then chattering chords as Liva fires up, another cool vocal with assured phrasing, catchy song too.
‘Common Man’s gnarly commencing guitars build to a stomping killer of a song which treads a mean path and neat stops…I confess I have been playing this cut the most, for whatever reason, elegant but tough solo’s and all ; Trouble’ is the closer and trickbag of spinning riffs and crisp drumming and pounding bass, a set closer I imagine ? Again Liva sings up a storm..
I look forward to seeing this crew perform, as this debut album rocks
Pete Sargeant
