After being around for so long, it only makes sense that any artist would try different things, but there isn’t much that can be as changing or challenging as a member leaving after years of working together. It can be the sort of thing that can effortlessly change the trajectory of even the most veteran and stable of acts. However, it can also be the beginning of a brand-new era filled with its own magnificent glory. When Black Space Riders had one of their own depart, many questions were surely risen. Yet, it’s with the acquiring of someone already quite close to the act that Black Space Riders has bounced back with its trademark fervor and splendor in such a way that’s obvious throughout their impending eighth album.
For years, this has been a band synonymous with some of the finest aspects of this corner of psychedelic rock with time only seeming to expand their capacity with each subsequent album something that demands our attention from top to bottom for all that they bring to the table in such exquisite fashion. Thus, Black Space Riders has become a name that creates waves whenever a new creation is announced. That proved to be no different upon the announcement of “Die 8”, and it’s ever so fitting for this is yet another triumphant work in damn near every sense. Really laying into some of their funkier and more melodic elements, it’s throughout this vast creation that Black Space Riders manages to travel ever further down the interstellar rabbit hole that we’ve become swallowed by with each record the act puts out, yet it’s here that it feels a little different given the line-up change. It’s not a wild shift into an entire new direction, but the soul of “Die 8” is undoubtedly different from much of its predecessors. Across eleven utterly addicting tracks, “Die 8” very quickly takes on a life of its own that keeps you not just rooted in place but perpetually crawling back for more. Between its deep atmospheres, fierce funk, impeccable songwriting, and more than enough tantalizing electricity to turn night into day, this record immediately qualifies as yet another supreme banger from Black Space Riders to further cement the band as one of the very finest that modern psychedelic rock has to boast.
By the end of this magnificent record, you’re left feeling as though the entirety of the universe has been passed through your very spirit. Black Space Riders has long been masterful at delivering terrific experiences that know how to capture the soul and hypnotize the flesh in ways that many competitors struggle to offer in even a fraction of the amount, and that proves to be no different with this sprawling effort. “Die 8” is many things, and utterly intoxicating ought to be first among them every single time.
“Die 8” releases on November 13th!
LISTEN to advanced tracks from “Die 8” on Bandcamp here.
LIKE Black Space Riders on Facebook here.
FOLLOW Black Space Riders on Instagram here.
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