Black Light Burns

[Conan The Barbarian]

So Wes just tweeted this link to stream the live show, I dont know if it is BLB, but I am pretty sure it is.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/longbox

They go on about 11 pm pacific time.

[Harry Seaward]

Judging from the last two and a half songs I've heard on that livestream, Wes' live singing voice sounds pretty bad.

[voidnz]

Yeah it's horrible. The mix doesn't help. It wasn't as bad on the first tour from the videos i've seen.

[Piko]

I think his voice was much better on the first album (even live) than it is now.

[poinoup]

Finally gave this a listen, and I was hesitant to. I really enjoyed CM, but I was lukewarm at best to the cover album. It's pretty good though still.

I recall someone discussing the dynamics earlier and I agree tenfold. I played it through a 5.1 system and even from the first track it seems to lack the range. The chorus of "Naked" is a great example, as it should just pound~!, but trots along at the same level.

Really digging "Well Enough Alone" and "The Colour Escapes" though. This may get up there with CM with a few more listens.

[ImTheWiseJanitor]

Well, if I can't make the show this Saturday, would anyone be willing to pick up a copy of Order of the Blacklight for me? I could pay you back right away, plus enough to cover shipping, and maybe a little extra for your trouble.

[scotty79]

2 tickets for the Glasgow show purchased, roll on the end of january

[wight rabbit]

Really digging "Well Enough Alone"

You mean "The Girl in Black," right?

Also- his voice doesn't sound too bad in this video (it's actually "Coward," not "4 Walls"):

[poinoup]

Well shit. I guess that's the line that stood out for me. My bad.

After a few more listens, it's really grown on me. If we had to go through Gold Cobra to get to this, it was worth it for me.

[wight rabbit]

Well shit. I guess that's the line that stood out for me. My bad.

After a few more listens, it's really grown on me. If we had to go through Gold Cobra to get to this, it was worth it for me.

No worries. I was just confused when I read that. I kept scanning the back of my case to find what song you were talking about and then I heard the lyrics in my head and it clicked.

[aggroculture]

After picking at it discontentedly for a couple of months I have come to the conclusion - which coincides with my first exposure to the album's preview tracks - that the new BLB album is not only a crushing disappointment, but it is the disappointment of the year, and then some. Pretty much every riff, every lyric, every vocal line is a cliche' you've heard a ton of times before: the album as a whole has that "heard it all before" quality, and very little that inspires me to keep listening. Scream Hallelujah, for example: the whole "crazy preacher" thing has been done ad nauseam in rock, and this song adds nothing to that tradition. Cruel Melody was a strong debut album - this is a waste of time. Sounds like a bunch of song sketches, or demos that should have been thrown away before getting to the second album. The vocals sound like drunken karaoke – some random dude doing karaoke – they're so hokey and corny sometimes it hurts; and the lyrics are terrible. That goth stuff – if you are Pete Steele or Paul Banks, you can pull it off. But with Wes Borland here it’s just not happening at all. I just don't buy him as a vocalist any more - and I did on CM. This record completely lacks identity: it’s a mish-mash of different styles (basically 90s alt.rock with goth and post-punk tendencies) yet with no central vision holding it together. It manages to sound both shoddy and thrown together in a rush, and like a forced yet unsuccessful attempt to emulate that charismatic haphazardness and chaos of 90s alt.rock a la Jesus Lizard.

I really tried to like this album – because I enjoyed CM so much: I guess Danny Lohner, Josh Eustis and Josh Freese really played a major role there. They are sorely missed here. This new album is irretrievably mediocre: I don’t get what you guys who are loving it are hearing at all. The NINisms manage to sound more embarassing this time – and it’s a shame. There are some interesting ideas for songs here – the NIN-esque Your Head Will Be Rotting…stands out; and I like some of the riffs (Splayed has a cool and catchy Ministry vibe - ruined by the awful vocals); and the record has a kind of restless, manic energy – its one positive attribute in my eyes; but the execution and production are so poor it just nixes the record. As a whole it sounds flat and boring and dull. It also sounds nowhere close to being finished: bands like Melvins can pull that "sorta unfinished" style off, but not BLB. It’s clear to me now that WB is a team player: when part of an ensemble (be it LB or CM-era BLB) he shines; when he tries to take on the lion’s share he produces substandard work. This album is basically Anvil Pants part 2 – but with less memorable songs.

[ImTheWiseJanitor]

New album/EP/soundtrack thing coming soon! I'm excited for this.

1 month from today and 1 day before our European tour begins, we will be releasing a new concept album called 'Lotus Island'. It's 40 minutes long and includes 7 instrumental tracks, 3 brand new songs, and a complete remix and remaster of the song 'It Rapes All In It's Path'. The album can be listened to on it's own or experienced along with the 1973 Alejandro Jodorowsky film 'The Holy Mountain' ...as an alternative soundtrack during the first 40 minutes (before and up to the point where the movie launches into the individual stories of the most powerful people in the world). I wasn't sure at first whether or not to be forthright with the album being an alternative soundtrack to The Holy Mountain, but, in these times of short attention spanned entertainment, instant gratification, and a general lack of mystery of any kind where there's nothing left to hide without seeming cliche and a kitten falling on it's face gets more attention than an artist's heart and soul poured out into any medium you can shake a stick at, I decided to just go ahead and let the cat out of the bag before the bag ends up in the river and you can just (hopefully) enjoy it for what it is. I'm really excited about it, and if I can neatly wrap up this announcement gone rant without sounding like I've thrown my hands up in the air while saying "fuck it" (which I have not), I'm incredibly happy for you to hear it. It's also my first shot at mixing a record, which has been a mountain I've been trying to climb for a while, pun intended. Track listing is as follows:

1. The Alchemist
2. The Thief
3. The City
4. It's Good To Be Gold
5. The Opportunists
6. The Hate Of My Life
7. The Dancers
8. It Rapes All In It's Path
9. The Parasite
10. My Love Is Coming For You
11. The Master

Available worldwide on January 21st iTunes and Amazon. Physical copies available on our tour and through the merch store at blacklightburnsofficial.com

See you on the road. -Wes

[Space Suicide]

Awesome news but sucks I can't buy it somewhere that isn't their official website or on tour. Doubt I'll get a physical copy soon.

[eversonpoe]

two thoughts, since i've been listening to the album quite so often recently:

1. in "the girl in black" when wes sings "tonight, spook lights" i always hear "tonight's poop lights" and can't help but laugh

2. does anyone else have trouble making sense of the rhythm of the verses in "because of you"? as a musician (and someone who appreciates weird time signatures), it baffles me, and that makes me frustrated.

[imail724]

Album cover and snippets

[voidnz]

Sounds good for what it is. It's a shame Wes gave it away because it was probably obvious enough from the cover/track lists anyway really.

[Reznor2112]

It's a shame Wes gave it away because it was probably obvious enough from the cover/track lists anyway really.

Not sure what you meant by this??



Really diggin the instrumental track samples. Wes' vocals do not sound good though. It seems he is trying to hard to be a Bowie/Peter Murphy wanna be.

[voidnz]

The Holy Mountain thing. He posted a bit of a rant about how he wanted to keep it quiet but because of the way music works these days he didn't think he could.

[imail724]

So did anyone else sync up Lotus Island with The Holy Mountain? Pretty cool.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[Reznor2112]

So did anyone else sync up Lotus Island with The Holy Mountain? Pretty cool.

Yeah did it earlier today. Pretty cool alternative soundtrack.

[Demogorgon]

i didn't do any syncing, but i did listen to the whole thing twice through on my way into work this morning. not bad. the first vocal track reminds me a lot of some older Marilyn Manson. as far as the overall tone, i like it a little better than i did the full album preceding it. his vocals seem more steady, more on point, and less slurring. the remixed, or remastered or whatever version of "It Rapes All In It's Path" is also really good, i think i like it better than the version from Underworld: Awakening. all in all i prefer this direction to the direction the album took, vocally.

[imail724]

I wonder if Wes will ever think about doing a part 2 for the second half of the movie.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[Madmya]

I think Lotus Island is my favourite BLB release.

[scotty79]

I saw them in glasgow on Friday night and they were awesome, much better than what was expecting, wes also jumped straight into the crowd as soon as they finished talkin to people and having his picture taken with everyone

[imail724]

I'm addicted to My Love Is Coming For You. It's just so... weird.

[Piko]

Enjoying the new album. Never seen the movie. Kinda makes me want to track it down now though.

[imail724]

[LaneSax]

had no expectations for Lotus Island and I must admit it's a lot better than I expected.

[kdrcraig]

I thought the new album was gonna be available on their website? I planned on getting it and completely forgot about it until yesterday but it's not on there.

[LaneSax]

I thought the new album was gonna be available on their website? I planned on getting it and completely forgot about it until yesterday but it's not on there.

I got the physical cd from Amazon. The price increased by quite a bit though.