Dissonant Bleak Sounds

Blaak Heat Shujaa formed in France in 2008, and have since then released a handful of recordings. Despite their relatively new status, they are quickly gaining attention for the interesting sound present in their music. The band utilizes a brand of psychedelic rock that is reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s Master of Reality, Pentagram’s Relentless, and Electric Wizard’s Dopethrone.  With an atmospheric, airy sound they offer their latest release, The Edge Of An Era,which carries a strong possibility of being one of the best releases of 2013.

After a brief intro, Era dives into an upbeat, headbanging tempo with prominent and melodious bass melodies. This may be one of the few metal releases one may come across which favors bass guitar over electric guitar; on this album, their stereotypical roles have been switched. However, that is not to say that the guitar is inaudible; just taking a back seat. The guitar offers extremely well written solos, interesting chord progressions, and expertly accompanies the dissonant, heavy bass. The music is extraordinarily well written, memorable, and addictive.  The vocals and the drums are reminiscent of stereotypical doom bands as well as psychedelic stoner/sludge bands. One of the finest moments of this release is found in the second track, “The Obscurantist Fiend (The Beast Pt. I)” which is a 10 minute epic featuring variations of tempo changes and chord progressions. “Shadows (The Beast Pt. II)” is another standout song, featuring bass and guitar sounds that are ritualistic and suspenseful. The music sounds beautiful, calm, and soothing; the feeling is comparable to enjoying a breathtaking view of nature.

Overall, The Edge Of An Era is a brilliant work that offers a rich musical journey of ceremonial doom rock. With this release, Blaak Heat Shujaa have established a spot as among one of the most highly respected stoner/doom acts. Highly recommended for those who enjoy early Black Sabbath homage and bass prominent rock music.