Black Stone Machine – The Guild of Black
Release Date: 16th February 2024
Belatedly, a few months after its release, we are finally getting round to some hard rock straight out of Athens, Greece (obviously) in the form of The Guild of Black and Black Stone Machine. This EP, at just three tracks long, serves a very specific purpose: to get people excited for a band that have been plying their trade for a while now.
Opening up is ‘Jaguar Fever’ and it’s clear to see what the band value as musicians. Soulful, riffy and fun, the track draws you in with an extended intro before a southern rock vibe just oozes out all over the place. The vocals on the EP as a whole are consistent, though could probably have done with a little more refining in the studio. What does happen through these raw vocals is that you get a sense of how the band will perform live. ‘Rock Bottom’, follows suit. It’s rough and ready for sure, but that’s what rock should be. Chugging riffs plague the full quarter of an hour and only really relent for the intro of closing, title track. Even then though within a minute or so you’re back to headbanging and just generally having a bloody lovely time.
At just under fifteen minutes long, these three tracks certainly aren’t a flash in the pan. There’s a lot of substance here from a band that are true to their inspiration while putting their own twist on things. Get your check shirts out and pop open a cold brew. You deserve it.