BLACK SITES - The Promised Land? (Review)

Written by: Blackie Skulless

Chicago’s Black Sites are a heavy metal act I’ve been eyeing closely since their second album Exile blew me away in 2019. From their inception, they’ve always been a band that leaned towards the progressive metal side of the spectrum, without diving full-force into that realm. Their sound was always a treat that I compared to Queensryche meeting Iced Earth under a unique flair. Considering Untrue felt like a simple continuation of that sound, I was pretty excited to see what the latest The Promised Land? had to offer.

Jumping in, that “progressive element” that described an otherwise traditional metal backbone sneaks in just a notch more often. Though the band may not be a stranger to longer, intricate songs, that’s exercised to a jarring degree this time around from time to time. More emphasis is put on the start/stop riff structure that jumps around the fretboard, coating different layers with different techniques ahead of sophisticated drum patterns. Vocally, things still feel right at home, boasting Mark Sugar’s consistent melody paired with clear emotion being ever present. And of course, I must mention that this record sees the band’s first attempt at crossing the ten minute mark in its title track, indicating that things may have more of a single narrative across the board leading to a climax.

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However, it didn’t necessarily feel like that was the case upon giving this several listens. Much of The Promised Land? operates as a collection of strong and sturdy songs that just happen to be in the same room at the same time with contrasting angles. Thus, there’s a bit of a give and take. “Dread Tomorrow” breaks a lot of the mold you’d expect, swinging in with heavier aggression and more direct punches, easily landing as a catchy banger. What makes this tough, however, is the fact that opener “Descent” before it feels completely different, almost opting for a Dream Theater type that better fits the more progressive mold I described earlier.
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This type of inconsistency isn’t a glaring error, as The Promised Land? is still an enjoyable whole, and much of the music is objectively good. The aforementioned title track leans the hardest into the prog-isms, changing moods several times. I’ll admit it didn't stick with me like some of the others, but I guess it does cake on some cozy epic feels at times, while still returning to that intricate style the opener displayed. “World On Fire” brings back the meaner tone found in “Dread Tomorrow” with galloping riffs, only adding a proggier center. Meanwhile, you can find soft and melancholic balladry in “Gideon” for its entire runtime, throwing another curveball at you. So as you can see, the writing itself is a little all over the place.
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A general vibe can hold some of these together to avoid feeling awkward, but don’t be surprised if the drastic directions in songwriting can be tough to swallow. Don’t read me wrong, as nothing on an individual front is unenjoyable, but I think we’re seeing a bit of a transition album that wants to sink entirely into the prog realm but isn’t entirely sure how to yet. If nothing else, Black Sites proves that they still have chops. With a little bit of refinement and closer focus, they could probably create something incredible while running in this direction.

Black Sites - The Promised Land? was released Sept. 6th, 2024. Find it here!

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Black Sites can be found:
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