Three years ago, I was writing that “Cosmic Ritual Supertrip” was the best Black Rainbows album, but I certainly didn’t take into account their ability to constantly outdo themselves. Forget the suspense, “Superskull” is even better. It really is.
The Italian trio’s ninth album perfectly encapsulates their fifteen-year span of desert rocking. Gabriele Fiori finally reaches (for good?) the recipe he has been polishing for years. Whereas the last record offered high-level diversity and songwriting and stood out from the previous seven albums, “Superskull” proves to be even better thanks to the acquired experience — even taking into account its overly cosmic trips. No doubt it will win over each listener and reach a wider audience than just psych rock fans.
While the album kicks off on two road trip-worthy heavy-hitters, we head pedal to the metal to the heart of the album and its psychedelic tracks that will get any listener high without any substance. Guitars remain at the center of the songwriting and make each tracks catchy without stretching out forever without purpose.
So yes, with so many releases and such an emblematic voice, it might not be easy for untrained ears to differentiate this album from the rest of their discography. However, everything sounds more precise, more psychedelic, fatter, heavier and more polished: in short, they’ve taken a huge leap forward without losing their ever-growing fan base and continue to offer certified and approved quality stoner rock music.
Que vous aimiez les titres rapides et rentre-dedans (Superhero Dopeproof), les voyages dans les confins de votre conscience (The pilgrim son), les hommages à peine cachés au bassiste le plus incontournable de la scène (l’Oliveri-esque Lone Wolf), le space rock acoustique (King Snake), vous ne pourrez qu’être conquis par cet album, pièce maîtresse des romains qui va trôner au sommet de leur œuvre pendant un petit moment (jusqu’au prochain, assurément).
Whether you like fast, hard-hitting tracks (“Superhero Dopeproof”), journeys into the depths of your conscience (“The Pilgrim Son”), barely concealed tributes to our scene’s cornerstone bassist (the Oliveri-esque “Lone Wolf”) or acoustic space rock (King Snake), you’re bound to be won over by this album, a masterpiece from the Romans that will sit at the top of their discography for a while (until the next one).
Get behind the wheel, push play and hit the road to the sound of these twelve absolute anthems and let yourself get carried away by those warm riffs that will fill your ears with sunshine.
Last modified: 15 August 2023
