BLACK TRIP – Shadowline (2015)

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“Shadowline” is the second album from Swedes BLACK TRIP, the band founded by Entombed and Enforcer members. Despite the guy’s main groups being heavy metal / speed, on Black Trip they develop their love for classic rock / hard.
We were not too much convinced by Black Trip’s debut from two years ago, but now they really have grown in the songwriting department and overall output.

Black Trip manages to dust ’70s rock and ’80s metal. The songs of the five-piece sound great with a strong feel of these eras (yet updated 2015) and awakes memories of ‘older’ metalheads. At the same time the guys open a door for the younger generation that shows them some roots of their favorite music.
Maybe because of the guitar riffs or Joseph Tholl’s voice or the intended production, Black Trip sounds like some blend of Thin Lizzy and the more melodic side of classic NWoBHM. They’ve got the latter’s twin guitar harmony and the rock groove, but all clean sound, melodic on all levels.

Though the musical basis of Black Trip definitely seems to be Thin Lizzy you get touches of glam here and there as well as other classic era bands. It’s hard to listen to lack Trip and not want to make a comparison to an act like UFO.
However, they don’t sound derivative. Instead they have crafted truly valid piece of classic stuff that takes all of those influences and use them to help establish their own unique brand of fist pumping rock and roll.

Throughout “Shadowline” you can really hear the excellent pairing of twin lead guitars which results into a successful guitar driven album that hooks the listener from the get go. More pleasingly the vocals mix from subtle and passionate to in your face, and it works.
The record is full of cool songs. As example you have the raffish “Berlin model 32”, the fast “Clockworks” and the grooving closer “Coming Home”.
The five minutes long “The Storm” stands out. It has an acoustic beginning before a first soulful guitar riff joins the party. After a louder sound eruption it continues calmer, just to build up again with power vocals. Halfway the tune turns into a melodic NWoBHM inspired number that belongs to the best ones on the CD.

Tightly polished yet still badass, Black Trip’s “Shadowline” is a pleasure to listen to. They use a combination of ideas to put forth a sound that will remind you of better days rock ‘n roll.
There is something strangely triumphant about what Black Trip do and that’s a big part of what make them so god damn engaging. This record brings back that kind of excitement like when you were going to buy the last album of your favorite band 35 years ago.
Easily Recommended.

01 – Die With Me
02 – Danger
03 – Sahdowline
04 – Berlin Model 32
05 – Over The Wordly Walls
06 – Clockworks
07 – Rooms
08 – Subvisual Sleep
09 – Sceneries
10 – The Storm
11 – Coming Home

Joseph Tholl: Vocals
Sebastian Ramstedt: Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Peter Stjärnvind: Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Johan Bergebäck: Bass
Jonas Wikstrand: Drums

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www.emp-online.com/art_317158/
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