The Black Angels Debut 'Without A Trace'

Their brand new album Wilderness of Mirrors is due out September 16.

By: Aug. 09, 2022
The Black Angels Debut 'Without A Trace'
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Austin's psych-rock legends have already earned acclaim spanning NPR All Songs Considered, SPIN, BrooklynVegan, Premier Guitar, Austin Chronicle, FLOOD and Under The Radar for their brand new album Wilderness of Mirrors due out September 16 via Partisan Records.

Today, they reveal album opener "Without A Trace", a classic blast of fuzzed-out guitars that chews on the question "Is it still possible to be invincible when everyone else is expendable?" The band shares, "We have always said that if you can rob a bank to our music then we are in the right ballpark. And while we don't condone robbing a bank - the idea alone creates an anticipatable, adrenaline inducing soundtrack for your mind."

The new song follows acclaimed lead single/video "El Jardín,'' which features Austin Amelio from The Walking Dead and stars his son Lev, and experimental single "Firefly", a '60s French pop homage which features Thievery Corporation's LouLou Ghelichkani.

The most impactful music reflects a wide-screen view of the world back at us, helping distill the universal into something far more relatable. The Black Angels have become standard-bearers for modern psych-rock that does exactly that, which is one of many reasons why the group's new album feels so aptly named.

It has been 5 years since fans have been treated to an album from the band and Wilderness of Mirrors marks a triumphant return with their foot on the pedal. The new collection expertly refines the Black Angels' psychedelic rock attack alongside a host of intriguing sounds and textures while political tumult, the pandemic, and the ongoing devastation of the environment have provided ample fodder for their signature sound and fierce lyrical commentary.

Mellotron, strings and other keyboards are more prominent than ever before. The Black Angels - Alex Maas (vocalist/bassist), Christian Bland (guitarist), Stephanie Bailey (drummer), Jake Garcia (guitarist), Ramiro Verdooren (multi-instrumentalist) - co-produced the record, working closely with Brett Orrison (co-producer) and Dinosaur Jr engineer John Agnello to achieve something fresh and new while retaining their heavily influential classic sound.

Since forming in 2004 in Austin, TX, the Black Angels remain masterfully true to psych-rock forebears such as Syd Barrett, Roky Erickson, Arthur Lee and the members of the Velvet Underground, all of whom are namechecked on "The River." The band's global influence is solidified by their beloved, long-running Levitation Festival, the veritable ground zero for the genre's past, present and future -- celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. The band will bring their blistering live show to stages across North America on their headlining fall tour, which kicks off at Psycho Las Vegas on August 20.

Listen to the new single here:

North American Tour Dates

8/20: Las Vegas, NV @ Psycho Las Vegas
9/10: Lexington, KY @ Expansion Music Festival
9/30: Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
10/1: Lawrence, KS @ Bottleneck
10/3: St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall
10/4: Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
10/5: Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
10/7: Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
10/8: Chicago, IL @ House of Blues Chicago
10/9: Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
10/10: Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
10/12: Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theater
10/13: Montreal, QC @ Corona Theater
10/14: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
10/15: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
10/17: Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
10/18: Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
10/19: Chapel Hill, NC @ Cat's Cradle
10/21: Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
10/22: Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
10/23: Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
10/24: Baton Rouge, LA @ Chelsea's Live
10/30: Austin, TX @ Levitation Festival
11/5: Mexico City, MX @ Hipnosis Festival



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