“Don’t think I’m ready,” says Pete Spiby before “Never Enough.” Mate, behave. You were born ready. Black Spiders are the most rock ‘n’ roll band in the country—pure, primal, and untamed.
Indeed, as they point out themselves on “Cool Reaper”: “I’ve come for everybody.” And one by one, they’ll surrender—surely.
Maybe it’s the onset of age, maybe it’s a natural evolution, but there’s a lot more melody in their work since they returned.
“Sorry Not Sorry” is full of harmony, while “Idol Hands” underlines a truly expansive sound.
“Tom Petty’s Lips” lives up to its name (and these boys always find wonderful titles) with a chorus full of righteous indignation and a solo that’s mighty. Then, after one of their trademark spoken pieces, “Dia De Muertos” appears as if emerging from the misty moors. Lurking in the shadows, it only bursts forth with yet another exceptional guitar moment.
Spiby and Adam Irwin both reckon this is their best album—and of course, such statements should be taken with a pinch of salt. After all, there’s never been a band that claims their new stuff is “alright but not a patch on our early work.” That said, it’s fair to say this isn’t far off.
It’s certainly as varied as they’ve ever been. “No Superman” is a real highlight, “Go” delivers a short, sharp shock, and “Up All Night” is more polished, with some of the rougher edges smoothed out.
Drummer Wyatt “The Octopus” Wendells needs all eight arms throughout, but he’s particularly primal on “Obey.”
There’s another rock band from Sheffield that might be proud of the arena-filling riff on “The Mofo Sauce,” and whatever that is, the damn song is drowning in it. “The taste of blood will burn my mouth tonight,” sings Spiby, and no wooden stake is killing these vampires.
As this all feels rather cinematic, it’s fitting that the credits roll, as it were, with something that could belong on a soundtrack. There’s a touch of the spaghetti western about “Rotten to the Core”—but then again, Black Spiders have always had a bit of the outlaw in them.
“CVRSES,” Spiby reckons, has a double meaning. First, there’s the mystical side—the magic that’s always present in Black Spiders’ music.
It’s also an old English swear word. That one fits. In that case, “CVRSES” is really fucking good.
Rating: 9/10
