Raspberry Bulbs – Before The Age Of Mirrors

Label: Relapse Records
Releasedate: 21-02-2020

A band like Raspberry Bulbs needs no introduction. The band has signed to Relapse Records at the end of last year and are now making a debut with the latest release “The Age of Mirrors” after six years of silence. I gotta admit that even though I know the band’s name and reputation, this has been the first time I became acquainted with their music.

The Age of Mirrors delivers us 12 pieces of rawness in a dark and twisted fashion. The songs are short and right on the spot, with the main aggression reflected through the vocals and riffs. What adds a great dimension and depth to this release are the interludes in-between the ‘main’ songs, leaving a bit of space to breathe and think in all that chaos. Considering that the band uses Lovecraftian and occult concepts, I advise you to also take a look at the lyrics to get the full grasp of this record.

The band defines their sound as punk with lo-fi black metal and this is quite the highlight in The Age of Mirrors as well; the punk sound is channeled through the vocals whereas the black metal will be clearly heard and felt via the riffs and drums. This duality exists in perfect balance and it neither becomes monotonous nor does it make the listener tired thanks to a good production and arrangement of the album. This is a fascinating aspect and one that made me think that probably most of the bands I listen to nowadays are indeed inspired by Raspberry Bulbs. So fans of punk, black metal as well as the ones who prefer their music raw, get this one and be impressed!

Tracklist
01. Spitting From On High
02. They’re After Me
03. Interlude I
04. Missing Teeth
05. Doggerel
06. Interlude II
07. Midnight Line
08. Reclaimed Church
09. Interlude III
10. Ultra Vires
11. Interlude IV
12. Given Over To History

Links:

Bandcamp