Album Review: Black Sky Research - One
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Producing a concept EP for your debut release may be considered a bold move. Black Sky Research have taken that step and have nailed it in under 20 minutes. Formed in 2019, the band, who feature Ex-Mallory Knox vocalist Mikey Chapman, Lee Erinmez, guitarists Luke Hicks and Rich Watson and session drums from BFMV’s Jason Bowld, take ‘One’ as the focus of an apocalyptic event with events that span the course of one night.
Musically, Black Sky Research paint a rich dynamic soundscape with Chapman’s soaring vocals supported by the duel guitars and a watertight rhythm section. The EP ebbs and flows between searing fiery sections and balanced, gentle elements. Melodies surge through from start to finish, with the sound at times cinematic in scale. Pulsing rhythms and driving hard rock blend with a powerful progressive approach.
Opening with ‘Light Up The Sky’ the crystal clean sound of the band slowly builds, Chapman taking centre stage with his vocals before an eruption of almost nu-metal pomp kicks things off. Having navigated through ‘Midnight’, ‘Twighlight’ and ‘Transmit’, it’s the closing track ‘Dawn’ that provides one more opportunity to experience the harmonies and delicious melodies that the band have weaved into this EP.
Black Sky Research have utilised the production skills of Matt Terry, engineer George Perks (Enter Shikari, Doves), the mixing talent of Adrian Bushby (Foo Fighters, Muse) and the mastering of Robin Schmidt to produce an EP of shimmering quality and polished, crisp finish. It’s an interesting project, and for those who like their rock with such attributes, probably one to check out as soon as possible.
