Black Cobra-Chronomega

Southern Lord

2009



This is the first album on Southern Lord from San Francisco's duo Black Cobra. What I love most about this band is perhaps their ability create funnels of heaviness that just pull the listener down with every pulsating note. Much like High on fire, Black Cobra draw on not just doom, but also classic metal acts for influence. That ties in with the fact that not everything is slow on this album. There is a certain simplicty to many of the songs or at last they begin that way. They quickly bring in swirling layers of fuzzed out volume. They effortlessly work their way through different tones and a variety of pace changes. It's amazing that two musicians can create so many sounds yet they have obviously mastered this school. The approach of "Chronomega" isn't too terribly from their previous album although several of the songs this time around and are more instantly memorable. There is no doubt that Black Cobra are really coming into their own and taking contol of their sound. They know how to maneuver and manipulate various sounds and beats to really build up their songs. There are definite moments where they make an effort to push the boundries of their genre. On top of all of the obvious stylistic skills of this duo they also know how to lay down bone shattering heavy foundations. Black Cobra are certainly improving and I can't wait to see where they take us next time out.