9GOATS BLACK OUT - devils in bedside

devils in bedside is the first release of the recently formed rock band 9GOATS BLACK OUT. The first press was already sold out before its release date, which seems to be an amazing feat for a band that is still so brand-new. Upon listening, it becomes clear why this mini-album is much wanted, as it offers six great tracks that pull you into the dark and melancholic world of 9GOATS BLACK OUT.

What immediately becomes clear as the first track, sink, begins is that one of the mini-album’s greatest fortes is the atmosphere. After an instrumental intro, vocalist Ryo starts to sing quietly. The vocals have been recorded in such a way that they sound as if Ryo is sitting next to you, singing directly into your ear and sometimes you can even hear him breathe, which intensifies the song even more. The song alternates between softer, emotional pieces and harder parts, with the guitars at the foreground, and despite the fact that it’s not a very heavy song it is very intense.

Next up is 690min, which starts with an intro featuring Ryo talking quietly over guitar strumming. Then the song kicks off, with the guitars and bass at the foreground. It’s a rather quick rock song with a dark sound to it, the guitar playing, repeated catchy riffs and the bass resonating gives it a very driving feel. Again, Ryo’s vocals give the song an extra dimension; he sings in a hushed but hurried way, and even sings in a grunting-like style. The bridge is completely different in its quietness, with soft guitar strumming accompanied by a children’s choir singing with frail, ethereal voices. It’s hard to understand what language they’re singing in, but it’s very reminiscent of the Hopelandic vocals of the Icelandic band Sigur Rós. Then, it returns to the driving rock beat, with Ryo singing the names of intestines in English before coming abruptly to a halt.

yasoukyoku -nocturne- is the next song, and though it has a different feel to it, it does have the distinct melancholic and dark 9GOATS BLACK OUT flavor. The song is jazzy with a swing to it and may remind one a little of Merry. Though the song is rather short, coming in at two minutes and twenty-two seconds, the band manage to create another atmosphere again, this time a slightly chaotic, yet very nice one.

Though French and German are often popular amongst bands when they want to give their song an exotic title, the trio manages to show their originality with song titles as well, as they chose Danish (or Norwegian) to name Den lille Havfrue: The Little Mermaid. It’s the softest and also the most emotional song of the mini-album, with a despairing and melancholic sound to it. Everything seems to fit so perfectly together that it’s clear a lot of thought and work has been put into the song. Hearing the details used to create the perfect soundscape will send shivers down your spine.

The next track, raw is completely different again, as it starts quietly in a haunting way. Ryo sings the verses with a strange, high-pitched voice that hints at madness with minimal accompaniment from the instruments, giving the song a creepy feeling. In the chorus, his voice is deep again, adding to the detached atmosphere.

The mini-album comes to an end - much too soon - with float. The first part of the song is quiet and eerie, with soft vocals that gradually turn louder. More and more instrumental layers are added to the song, building up to a very rhythmic chorus. float is another example of how great the band is at creating atmosphere; it is a track full of tension. The lyrics of the song are mostly in English, but Ryo’s accent and the fact that the English is incomprehensible makes it hard to understand. However, the words aren’t needed anyway to sense the despair and helplessness that the songs conveys.

Unfortunately, the mini-album contains only six songs and leaves one yearning for more. Despite the fact that they only formed a few months ago, one definitely wouldn’t say that this is their first work as it sounds very professional. The vocalist has a very skilled voice and can bend his vocal chords in any way he wants to, the guitarist, bassist and the (support) drummer do a great job with creating a wonderful sound and even the final mix of the songs is wonderful, making the tracks stand out even more with their unique atmosphere.

So, with this great start, it seems that 9GOATS BLACK OUT have ensured themselves a very successful career, and it seems most likely that they will become one of the most successful bands of their genre.