Black Mountain, The NightTerrors @ The Zoo (17/02/2011)

Tue 22nd Feb, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Walking into The Zoo tonight, I’m not sure what to expect from Melbourne based The Night Terrors. The first thing I notice walking in half-way through their first track is this: for a heavy rock band there is a surprising lack of guitars. Keyboards, synthesisers and other electronics line every song while the only guitar present is some extremely heavy bass. Even then, often bassist Miles Brown stops playing to perform the Theremin, which for an older instrument looks decidedly futuristic. As they pound through extended psychedelic jams, I can’t help but be impressed by the conclusion of the set.

To put it simply: Black Mountain’s throwback to 70s and 80s hard rock still feels fresh. This influence is most obvious on their first two albums Black Mountain and In The Future. Eight minute tracks such as Tyrants are filled with brilliant nuances and guitar solos which are blown into substantial proportions in a live setting. As a consequence, the live pairing of this and Wucan is the highlight for this listener.

However, Black Mountain is here one the back of a different style of album. Last year’s Wilderness Heart saw a change of pace, a change of producers and a change of song style which has undoubtedly shaken and divided long time fans of the group. Personally, I am in two minds about the change; while I still believe Black Mountain are in their element with longer tracks, a lot of the Wilderness Heart material is nonetheless solid.

You can bet that tonight Black Mountain is here to present that album. They open the set with title track Wilderness Heart, before throwing back to In The Future foot-stomper Evil Ways. Bits of their previous two albums are scattered throughout but Wilderness Heart is on show tonight;The Hair Song, slightly underwhelming single Old Fangs and the barnstorming Lets Spirits Ride all make an appearance. Yet the song which truly outshines the rest is the Wilderness Heart track which is most typically Black Mountain, the wonderful, slowly building Rollercoaster.

As songs such as Tyrants and Druganaut climax in an eruption of guitar and keyboards, you can’t help but think this is Black Mountain truly in their element. Sombre acoustic tracks The Space of Your Mind and Buried By The Blues are pleasant enough, but can never reach same heights.

When Black Mountain return for their encore, the opening chords of Stormy High elicits a huge response from the audience, perhaps insinuating this too is their preferred material. Both it and finale Don’t Run Out Hearts Around are the perfect send off, as Black Mountain once more reach the heights they achieved at various times during the set; an extended blending of nostalgic guitar solos where they seem at home.