Black Knight

Spoz’s rant
Category: Music
BLACK KNIGHT (****)
First stop for the night is here at Producers Bar for Bootleg's opening act, Black Knight. Yup, Black Knight. They really ain't dicking around with this shit tonight are they? With a fuckarse insane name like "Black Knight" you think you'd be expecting a pack of hulking psychos on stage: 10ft tall, armor plated, breathing fire and delivering screaming murder to your jugular with the sharp end of a blade. Or perhaps you're simply imagining the Black Knight from Monty Python's "Holy Grail" getting all four of his limb hacked off whilst he taunts "I'll bite your legs off!" and laughing yourself retarded. Instead what we get is all the alcoholism and alienation of early 70's metal in all its authentic bleary eyed fury: Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and the occult edge of the Rolling Stones as performed by four pencil neck dweebs with fuckarse insane haircuts who collectively look like they haven't even graduated from high school yet (shit damn this teenage binge drinking epidemic is worse than we thought!). To think bands this authentically fucked up can just spring up like this overnight now? fuuuuck! They must've been training dweebs like these from birth with a broadband connection, a bittorrent, an ipod and the history of rock 'n roll substance abuse from 1955 to 1985. acid, alcohol and a whole host of uppers and downers? Mona Lisa Overdrive, Wylde Throe and now THESE idiots? As much as we have reason to be terrified by this latest development, we should be all the more fortunate too: duuude this shit rocks!

As long as you can get past the sneaking suspicion that we're witnessing the music industry's equivalent to the East German Olympic team; and as long as you can get past just how odd it is to watch four chronological midgets like these sound note for note like a pack of bloating rock 'n roll corpses four times their liver damage. You still can't go wrong with the shredding, thrashing, gunning and howling outbursts of 70's rock anywhere near as fuckoff insane as this!




- Spoz

“Not Made in China” is the first release for young Adelaide rockers Black Knight , and it plays like a short live set, with the boys putting all of their wares on display.

The opener is “Long Brown Hair”, a sneering missive about a girl with long brown hair. This is a fast paced, energetic 3 minute pop song. The hard-edged guitar assault incorporates subtle gear changes which vary the pace effectively. Lyrically unsophisticated, musically raw, but the brown-haired girl is left in no doubt about how singer Matt feels about her. A great opener - the crowd has warmed up and the gig is cooking.

Next is “Run”, a catchy pop tune with a hint of “hit song” about it. It’s probably the strongest vocal performance on the EP with singer Matt’s falsetto hook at the end of the line pleading us to listen. Another song about a girl, but this time he wants her and pursues her. She’s elusive. The final 60 seconds is powerful; moving from a steady run to a frantic sprint for the line. The guitars riff and jostle with the drums for position and I’m left breathless. Fantastic song – book ‘em Danno, murder one.

“Over the Sea” is the minor key ballad that begins with the sound of crashing waves. It’s melodic, sung with great feeling, and the vocal emotion is captivating to listen to. The soaring guitar solo doesn’t emerge when expected, and that’s about the only downside to this track.

It’s time to increase the pace again. “Area 51” is about an alien speeding to his spaceship after escaping from the authorities - this could be a thinly disguised political statement. This is a heavier 70’s style song - the guitar solo suggests a Deep Purple influence and Roger Glover would not feel out of place driving his organ through here. There is a hint of honky-tonk piano in the background at one point, and the wah pedal augments the guitar solo. Another great song full of energy; no girl in sight this time.

“Magic Woman” is a 60’s inspired pop tune written by drummer Adam Horwood. In style it has the ring of The Who or The Smithereens - very powerful, and a stunning end to the EP (possibly my favourite song, but they are all good). Always leave them wanting more – surely the crowd is stamping for an encore after this. I could listen to another hour of songs like this; hopefully Black Knight will reappear and play them for us.

“Not Made in China” is a really good listen if you like guitar rock. It represents a work in progress for a young band that clearly has what it takes to be a great rock band. Their talent has allowed them to start the journey; persistence and a bit of luck will get them there. This EP is well worth a listen, and I will be catching their next gig for sure.




- Music SA

'Not Made In China' is the debut EP from young Adelaide band Black Knight, whose members (singer/ guitarist Matt Dale, guitarist Brad Fry, bass player Langley Fry and drummer Adam Horwood) range in age from seventeen to twenty one. Despite their youth but perhaps unsurprisingly given their name, Black Knight cite the influences of Seventies classic rock such as Led Zeppelin, David Bowie and AC/DC. You can also add the Stones and Bad Company to that list.

Black Knight have been gigging regularly for the last couple of years, playing in excess of fifty shows in both 2007 and 2008. This is reflected in the five songs on 'Not Made In China', which although still raw and rough around the edges reveal an already tight band. Highlights for me are the great hooks and fat riffs of Magic Woman, and in particular the ballad Over The Sea. Recalling Guns N' Roses' Patience, this is an epic piece that ebbs, flows and steadily builds in intensity throughout its six-minute-plus length. Elsewhere, the blazing opening track Long Brown Hair sounds like Jet on a good day, while Run is perhaps the most overtly commercial song on offer and ends in a furious flurry of guitar histrionics.

The songwriting still has a way to go and occasionally Dale's vocals falter, but this is still an encouraging and quite impressive debut. There is plenty of energy and enthusiasm within 'Not Made In China' to go with the undoubted potential that will hopefully be realised as Black Knight continue to hone their craft.

James McKenzie



- DB Magazine