Italian psychedelic fuzz rock conjurors Black Elephant have returned to release their new studio album, “The Fall of the Gods”, on October 18th, 2024, via Small Stone Recordings!
In 2018, Black Elephant unleashed “Cosmic Blues”. A true underground classic, Grizzly Butts hailed, “a full-on hard-bluesing stoner rock album that collects the spirit of early Fu Manchu, the space-faring fuzz-rumble of Dozer’s debut and a heavy chug of acid rock’s finer blues guitarists for inspiration”, while Ave Noctum wrote accurately, “Their main source of inspiration is obviously seventies fuzz, but also guitar heavy music from the ‘90s. Think Jimi Hendrix making music with Chris Cornell’s Soundgarden. How does that sound? Pretty good, actually”.
Two years later, the band delivered the Japanese themed “Seven Swords”, a record MetalSucks lauded for its glassy-eyed riffing and cosmic cadence. “Black Elephant stomp their pedalboards like their namesake pachyderm. These Italian riffmeisters also engage in some serious amplifier abuse, but it’s all in the name of kick-ass heavy psych-blues jams”.
The DNA shared between these two albums is simple: both are collections of classic-minded heavy groovers, picking the best the 70s, 90s, and 00s had to offer in face melting riffery.
“The Fall of the Gods” continues the trajectory of their two previous sonic gems, while taking things to a heavier place, both literally and figuratively. Comments guitarist, vocalist, and bandleader Alessio Caravelli: “The theme this time around is the fall, from the decay to the reborn… After the last very tough years for all societies, we understood that many principles and colossuses have fallen, exactly like the gods and ancient cultures such as the Maya and Aztec civilizations did. This has been also the inspiration for our graphic designer Farfante, who hand drew the cover and art for the new album with these concepts in mind”.
On “The Fall of the Gods”, a wide range of dynamics are present (All Them Witches come to mind). Hints of Hendrix meld with moments of ‘90s shoegaze à la The Verve’s “A Storm in Heaven” before heading down a long desert highway that would make Brant Bjork feel at home.
Fuzz pedals preach on, the sky cracks, and the riffs themselves seem to lock bellies in sumo battles, so what the hell? The world’s ending anyway. You might as well have some fun with it.
In advance of the release of “The Fall of the Gods”, today Black Elephant unveils first single, “Go”, now streaming here.
“The Fall of the Gods” will be release on CD and digital formats as well as limited edition vinyl — 250 units pressed in the US via Small Stone and 250 units pressed in Germany by Kozmik Artifactz.
Pre-order “The Fall of the Gods” here.
Tracklist:
1. Mother of the Sun (Part 1)
2. Go
3. The Fall of the Gods
4. Vedova Nera
5. Se Chiudo Gli Occhi
6. Dissociale
7. Cuori Selvaggi
8. Shadow
9. Jupiter
10. Mother of the Sun (Part 2)
Line-up:
Alessio Caravelli – Guitar, vocals
Massimiliano Giacosa – Guitar
Francesco Glielmi – Bass
Simone Brunzu – Drums
Weblinks:
www.facebook.com/blackelephantitaly
www.instagram.com/blackelephantband
