AM I IN TROUBLE? - "Black" (Track Premiere)

Written by: The Administrator

I joke about the ineffectiveness of publishing a standalone review for every track on an album. However, at this point I will have reviewed--on an individual basis--every track from the forthcoming Am I in Trouble? debut album. We covered "Red" here this spring, and more recently premiered "White" alongside the album announcement for Spectrum. Needless to say, I am A. a big fan of this project, and B. invested in doing whatever I can to hype up what will inevitably be one of the best albums released in January 2025. In that spirit, we're excited to premiere the third single, "Black," a few days ahead of release!

"Black" features Alex Loach (of Ashenheart) on vocals, continuing the established Am I in Trouble? trend of incorporating a variety of guests. As you may recall, "White" features Ember Belladonna on flute, which helped give the song as a whole a lighter vibe. In stark contrast, Alex's guest spot lends a pointed viciousness that otherwise has yet to rear its head at this point in the album's runtime. This is a track that works so well because it embraces high-contrast juxtapositions, and ends up pushing and pulling the listener through a surprising array of tonal shifts.

Before I get too far ahead of myself, I encourage you to give "Black" a listen below! When it comes to discussion, fear not: we slumbering scribes shall be waiting on the other side. As, y'know, we so often do.

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Insofar as avant-garde black metal has jumpscares, Spectrum has proven a tendency to switch things up and wallop the listener with unexpected aggression in the midst of some comparatively low-key moments. To this end, "Black" starts off with calm clean vocals that initially recall the sunny pastoral energy of "White." But! Just when your mind and body is lulled into a sense of comfortable ease, Alex Loach's blackened shrieks enter the arena. Things heat up quite quickly--Alex's vocals here are positively primal yet strangely intelligible. Just as you're acclimated to this distinctly black metal element, the vocals shift once more into a wholly unexpected back-and-forth between gentle alt-rocky cleans and a mean deathy roar. On paper, the stark tonal contrast shouldn't work, but it proves a wonderfully engaging and dynamic vocal exchange. From here, the track ascends into calmer waters until, like unto an unholy wraith free at last from a terrible prison, Alex's caustic screeches resurface once more.

In terms of unpredictability, nothing touches the track's false ending. After an excellent solo, it feels like things are coming to a natural conclusion, but a cute little lick leads into an angsty and melodramatic outro. The structure here is genuinely so intriguing--even after listening to this album multiple times through, and keeping this track on heavy repeat in preparation to write this premiere, I feel myself pleasantly moved by its deliberately mercurial nature. As one of the tracks that incorporates more traditionally extreme vocal elements in a way that should feel at odds with the general warmth of the instrumentation, I'm impressed with how fluid "Black" feels. While terms such as "avant-garde" and "experimental" are often applied in scenarios where they are not necessarily earned, I feel like a track like "Black" has done well to earn said designations. Spectrum is a project that doesn't need to advertise or revel in it's own obvious oddity--rather, it presents itself as is, simply allowing the audience to be buffeted about. It's a smart and almost coy way a presenting an idea that should, for all intents and purposes, feel like quite an outlier from the status quo. Which, of course, it is.

Says Steve Wiener about the track: "'Black' is essentially the sibling song of 'White.' 'White' is a song of hope and perseverance in the face of loss. 'Black' explores the psychological damage caused by the long-term suppressing of traumas, and how neglecting the things we suppress can sometimes result in the loss of those things entirely. Additionally, how we can find people or things throughout life who can aid us in recovering, and how unfortunately easy it is to turn our backs on them sometimes, despite it being harmful to us to do so."

Thank you for reading, and for listening, and (hopefully!) pre-ordering. Spectrum releases very early next year, but in the meantime you can runs up the streams on "Red," "White," and now "Black."
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Am I in Trouble - Spectrum will be released Jan 3rd, 2025. Find the pre-order here!

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