Black Mountain Preview New Material in London

Canadian psyche rockers Black Mountain gave British fans a taste of what to expect from their new album, 'Wilderness Heart,' during a low-key gig in the intimate environs of the Lexington in North London on Tuesday, July 13. Moving into even heavier riff-based material than of yore, Black Mountain's extended work outs were given an extra weight and swagger that set the controls for the heart of the sun.

Though owing a stylistic debt to Black Sabbath, the quintet has stamped its own indelible identity upon the music to create an atmosphere very much their own. As exemplified by the chugging rock monster 'Old Fangs,' Black Mountain's heads are down and they mean serious business. The opening one-two of 'Radiant Hearts' and 'Wilderness Heart' pointed to the direction where the band is heading.

But there were deep grooves being mined here and none more so than during a colossal reading of 'Wucan,' with the tattooed figure of bassist Matthew Camirand locking horns with the drumming powerhouse that is Joshua Wells. Hypnotic and utterly beguiling, this was the sound of a band at the peak of its powers.

Black Mountain played:

'Radiant Hearts'
'Wilderness Heart'
'Evil Ways'
'Angels'
'Wucan'
'Tyrants'
'Old Fangs'
'Rollercoaster'
'Stay Free'
'The Hair Song'
'Druganaut'
'Don't Run Our Hearts Around'

'Let Spirits Ride'
'Stormy High'
'No Hits'