Alongside these successes, they have shared the stage with the likes of Band of Skulls, Alberta Cross, Crash Kings, The Greenhornes and many more. The momentum doesn’t seem to stop for this Brooklyn quartet, who are now poised to release their second EP, titled IxI. This collection of songs features a more mature, refined sound for Blackbells, and sees the band structuring dense, layered guitars awash with reverb against heavy driving rhythms and cavalier vocals.
Recorded and produced by Blackbells’ own Ben Rice in Brooklyn, “IxI” was mastered by Louie Teran (Band Of skills, Snow Patrol), with gorgeous cover art by German artist Crash. On the EP, the band ascends to new heights, from the Zeppelin-esque riffs of “The Shelf” and “Testify” to the swirling psych-rock guitars and resonant drums of “One By One.” Says Rice, “Our music has naturally evolved from playing live together, hearing what people respond to, seeing what feels good on stage, and what we connect with after playing the songs night after night.” The progression is obvious on IxI, which calls to mind the large, loose sound of musical eras gone by, showcasing an open-mindedness that gives way to a supersonic powerhouse of a release.
Blackbells will be debuting songs from their new EP at their October 12th record release show at The Mercury Lounge in NYC. They will be sharing the stage with Arkells. Doors are at 6:45 and Blackbells hit the stage at 7:30pm