Blanck Mass is not for shrinking violets – but you knew that from the ferocious album cover, snarling at you from a distance! The music carries similar feral instincts, and Ben Power – who is Blanck Mass – manipulates it into statements of awesome power and an almost intimidating wave of textures. In a sense it feels like the end of days, because the rush of percussion and distortion can be overpowering on headphones. Yet there is some grace here too, and tracks like 2 – where the vocals are hurled at the listener like a pounce from the animal on the cover – also contain twinkling treble textures that give the music an even bigger perspective. The feeling runs throughout that Power has given his all to this music, leaving nothing to chance as skyscraping riffs are turned on their axis and the piledriver rushes of sound sweep the listener off their feat. It really is that powerful – music for our times but definitely not for quiet thoughts!
Ben Hogwood
5 out of 5
BLANCK MASS – WORLD EATER – SACRED BONES
