blackfield-iv

[colored_box color=”grey”]Rating: 4
Label: KScope
Website: Link
Author: Andrew Koran[/colored_box]

I’ve never really quite known what to make of Blackfield and where this band sits in the progressive scene despite now being on the marvellous KScope label. I can’t hide that I got fascinated with their first album back in 2004, which had the distinctive mark of Mr. Wilson who contributes several lead vocals and writing duties. The second album from 2007 carried on in the same vein but never reached the magic of their debut.

To me, it all started to unravel for Blackfield as a one man show with the release of their third album in 2011 – “Welcome to My DNA” – where all songwriting duties had Geffen’s signature, which unfortunately was a huge disappointment of dull lyrics, bland melodies and the feeling of a rollercoaster going downwards.So here we are to this latest release – ‘Blackfield IV’. Is it a case of getting back to past glories?

Pills’ is really a promising start. ‘Springtime’ starts to worry me though with its bland beyond bland which sadly, becomes a theme throughout the whole album. Vincent Cavanagh of Anathema on ‘X-ray’ is pleasant enough, and this song having a nice refrain with a tuneful Anathema-lite feel to it, happens to be my personal “favourite” although nothing superb at all. ‘Sense of Insanity’ which follows is where the album gets to being a really average release. After a couple of pop melacholia comes next guest, Brett Anderson of Suede, who contributes vocals on ‘Firefly’ but has no chance of rescuing this one, as it sounds like a small –not that good- musical. Another couple of bland pop songs follow until we eventually get on last electro-pop “After the Rain”.

This album really ran fast through my ears, but all in all, nothing stayed inside my head. That’s the main reason I believe this release has to be the last one I personally had to repress myself in hearing, from this band. Nothing for any metalhead even us sensitives in this one. I wonder if there’s anything in there even for a pop fan.

Anyways, keep away from “Blackfield IV” and its mediocrity !Or a better advice would be “Keep away from Blackfield in general until Mastermind Steven Wilson gets super involved with this band again” !

Track List Line Up
01. Pills
02. Springtime
03. XRay
04. Sense of Insanity
05. Firefly
06. The Only Fool is Me
07. Jupiter
08. Kissed by the Devil
09. Lost Souls
10. Faking
11. After the Rain
Aviv Geffen / vocals, guitar, keyboards
Steven Wilson – lead vocals, lead guitar, additional keyboards
Seffy Efrati – bass guitar
Tomer Z – drums, percussion
Eran Mitelman – piano, keyboards

Guests:
“XRay” featuring Vincent Cavanagh
“Firefly” featuring Brett Anderson
“The Only Fool is Me” featuring Jonathan Donahue