Destroyer (Black Mountain album)

Destroyer is the fifth studio album by Canadian psychedelic rock band, Black Mountain. The album was released on May 24, 2019, through Dine Alone Records, and is the band's first new material in three years since their fourth album, IV.

Destroyer
Studio album by
Black Mountain
ReleasedMay 24, 2019
Genre
Length42:58
LabelDine Alone
ProducerJohn Congleton[1]
Black Mountain chronology
IV
(2016)		 Destroyer
(2019)
Singles from Destroyer
  1. "Future Shade"
    Released: March 7, 2019
  2. "Boogie Lover"
    Released: August 11, 2019
  3. "Licensed to Drive"
    Released: May 8, 2019

Destroyer is the first album to feature Rachel Fannan (from Sleepy Sun) and Adam Bulgasem (from Dommengang and Soft Kill).

Background

The album was first announced on March 7, 2019 with the release of their lead off single, "Future Shade". The single was described by lead singer, Stephen McBean, as a "warping" and "rending". McBean described the riff as one that has "traveled around the world then hit the bong with a chorus a year and a half later. A last attempt at double frosting produced a chorus on chorus death match. Anxiety is the new heavy metal."[2]

The album takes its name from discontinued single-run 1985 Dodge Destroyer. The album also references the fact that McBean obtained his driver's license in 2017.[3]

Destroyer features contributions from the Flaming Lips' Kliph Scurlock and Oneida's Kid Millions.[1]

Style and composition

Destroyer has been described as having a mixture of stoner rock,[4] progressive rock,[5] hard rock,[6] neo-psychedelia,[7] and space rock.[7]

Promotion

Singles

Three singles were released prior to the release of Destroyer. The lead single, "Future Shade" was released on March 7, 2019. The second single, "Boogie Lover" came out on April 11, 2019.[8] The third single, "Licensed to Drive" came out on May 8, 2019.[9]

David Nadelle of Tiny Mix Tapes described "Boogie Lover" as a "bevy of heavy friends both old and new", referring to the appearances by Jeremy Schmidt, Kliph Scurlock (Flaming Lips), Kid Millions (Oneida), Rachel Fannan (Sleepy Sun), and Adam Bulgasem (Dommengang).[10] Chris DeVille of Stereogum called the song "a spacey, doomy slow creep on which the band sounds as towering and geological as their band name suggests."[11]

Also writing for Stereogum, Tom Breihan praised "Licensed to Drive", saying the track "starts out with eerie horror-movie theatrics, locks into ’70s-style dragon-trudge metal, and climaxes with a wild Edgar Winter-ish synth solo. It’s flaming-sword music, music for blasting off into the cosmos on a tricked-out GTO."[9]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Album of the Year72/100[12]
Metacritic74/100[13]
Review scores
SourceRating
The 4057.5/10[14]
AllMusic[15]
Exclaim!8/10[4]
Glide Magazine7/10[6]
Loud and Quiet6/10[16]
Mojo[13]
Paste7.9/10[17]
Pitchfork7.0/10[18]
Uncut[13]

Destroyer was well-received by contemporary music critics. At review aggregator website, Metacritic, the album holds an average rating of 74 out of 100 based on ten critic reviews indicating generally favorable reviews.[13]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Future Shade"5:10
2."Horns Arising"6:50
3."Closer to the Edge"2:54
4."High Rise"6:12
5."Pretty Little Lazies"5:00
6."Boogie Lover"6:20
7."Licensed to Drive"4:46
8."FD'72"5:46
Total length:42:58

Charts
Chart (2019) Peak
position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[19] 54
Scottish Albums (OCC)[20] 53
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 61
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[22] 19
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[23] 75
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References
  1. Sacher, Adam (March 7, 2019). "Black Mountain announce new album 'Destroyer,' share "Future Shade"". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved March 15, 2019. The album also features contributions from Kliph Scurlock (Flaming Lips), Kid Millions (Oneida) and the great indie rock producer John Congleton (who works with St. Vincent, Angel Olsen, Cloud Nothings, and many others).
  2. Duffey, Connor (March 7, 2019). "Black Mountain – 'Future Shade'". Stereogum. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  3. Schatz, Lake (March 7, 2019). "Black Mountain announce new album, Destroyer, share "Future Shade": Stream". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  4. Ranta, Alan (May 22, 2019). "Black Mountain Destroyer". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  5. Golembeski, Bill (May 22, 2019). "Black Mountain - Destroyer". Soundblab. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  6. Willis, Joey (May 25, 2019). "Black Mountain Go for Heavier, Driving Rock Sound on 'Destroyer' (Album Review)". Glide Magazine. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  7. "Destroyer by Black Mountain Genres". AllMusic. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  8. "Boogie Lover - Single by Black Mountain". SoundCloud. April 11, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  9. Breihan, Tom (May 8, 2019). "Black Mountain – "Licensed To Drive"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  10. Nadelle, David. "Black Mountain return with new album Destroyer, share second single "Boogie Lover"". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  11. DeVille, Chris (April 11, 2019). "Black Mountain – "Boogie Lover"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  12. "Black Mountain - Destroyer - Reviews". Album of the Year. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  13. "Destroyer by Black Mountain Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  14. Dedman, Todd (May 28, 2019). "Review: Black Mountain add new elements to their psych-rock sound, resulting in their freshest album for a while in Destroyer". The 405. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  15. Monger, James Christopher. Review of Destroyer by Black Mountain at AllMusic. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  16. Critten, Tom. "Black Mountain Destroyer". Loud and Quiet. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  17. Crump, Andy (May 21, 2019). "Black Mountain: Destroyer Review". Paste. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  18. Desuner, Stephen M. (May 29, 2019). "Black Mountain: Destroyer Album Review". Pitchfork. Conde Nast. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  19. "Offiziellecharts.de – Black Mountain – Destroyer" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  20. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  21. "Swisscharts.com – Black Mountain – Destroyer". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  22. "Black Mountain Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  23. "Black Mountain Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
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