Black Oil - Resist To Exist
This LA band is fixated with nu metal, rap metal and 90’s groove in general, not really my cup of tea but for what it is, you can certainly hear some thought being displayed in the varied arragnements. The major influences for me are Static X, Soulfly (early stuff) and ‘Roots’ era Sepultura. Add a touch of Mudvayne and a splash of Slipknot…you get the idea where this release is going. There are however some notable guest musicians on the recording like Raymond Herrera (Fear Factory, Archaea) who drums on ‘Revolution’, as well as special guests Tony Campos (Soulfly, Asesino, Static X), Aaron Rossi (Ministry, Prong), and a few others I’ve never heard of.
‘Rise Up’ is more death groove hybrid like Slipknot’s breakthrough release, even down to the sound effects, it’s more from the drum pattern I get that feeling from and the same can be said for ‘Exoskeleton. ‘Justified’ goes more Fear Factory brutal at the start and continues to SYL territory for a while before the Static X inspired drum pattern takes you bouncing along into the main section of the song. ‘Combustion’ has a strange tribal drum pattern and sound that really just blows out a wall of noise rather than anything of substance that you can sink your teeth into, then again, this was the popular thing in the past. ‘Stand Against Everything’ goes to a Stuck Mojo groove, that actually works out more entertaining than anything else on this release to be fair, that’s not to say its poor I must say, there’s clearly thought gone into the arrangements, but it is a little haphazard and familiar to songs that have been released a while back before dying off, certainly in Europe. But I have rated fairly based on the material, rather than a personal opinion on the sub-genre.
Black Oil will appeal to those who cut their teeth with bands like those mentioned previously and had a love for a genre that died a while back on certain continents. Most tracks have too much non-standard metal influences (including reggae and rap) leading to an often confused presentation. There’s lots of nu groove, but little melody or ripping solo work to match the upbeat rush from the musicians plying their trade and preaching hatred to society.
‘Rise Up’ is more death groove hybrid like Slipknot’s breakthrough release, even down to the sound effects, it’s more from the drum pattern I get that feeling from and the same can be said for ‘Exoskeleton. ‘Justified’ goes more Fear Factory brutal at the start and continues to SYL territory for a while before the Static X inspired drum pattern takes you bouncing along into the main section of the song. ‘Combustion’ has a strange tribal drum pattern and sound that really just blows out a wall of noise rather than anything of substance that you can sink your teeth into, then again, this was the popular thing in the past. ‘Stand Against Everything’ goes to a Stuck Mojo groove, that actually works out more entertaining than anything else on this release to be fair, that’s not to say its poor I must say, there’s clearly thought gone into the arrangements, but it is a little haphazard and familiar to songs that have been released a while back before dying off, certainly in Europe. But I have rated fairly based on the material, rather than a personal opinion on the sub-genre.
Black Oil will appeal to those who cut their teeth with bands like those mentioned previously and had a love for a genre that died a while back on certain continents. Most tracks have too much non-standard metal influences (including reggae and rap) leading to an often confused presentation. There’s lots of nu groove, but little melody or ripping solo work to match the upbeat rush from the musicians plying their trade and preaching hatred to society.
- Rise Up
- Justified
- Callate
- Exoskeleton
- Combustion
- Revolution
- Stand Against Everything
- Paper Slave
Reviewer: twansibon
Aug 3, 2015
Aug 3, 2015
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