Blackwater Holylight evolve heavy psychedelia on elemental EP 'If You Only Knew'
Emerging from the ancient piney groves and misty atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest, Portland’s Blackwater Holylight captivated with their unique blend of colossal doom and dreamy psychedelia, quickly building a reputation that spanned subcultures. On their latest EP the band sets their sights higher, charting a course toward the stars with clear-eyed determination.
If You Only Knew represents an evolution for the band, moving beyond the prehistoric stomp of their preceding LPs into the intergalactic territory of contemporaries Black Mountain and Stonefield. Despite the sonic recalibration Blackwater Holylight do not wholly abandon their roots. The band leverages the gravitational pull of their origins to slingshot forward, possessed by the primordial hunger for the thrill of creative expression on the fringes of a new frontier.
Blackwater Holylight retain their percussive heft throughout the EP, an anchor point that enables celestial synth and monumental guitar heroics to achieve unprecedented altitudes. Balanced with ethereal vocals and gauzy, droning walls of feedback that harmonize like the music of the spheres orbiting within the expansive eternity of time itself, “Wandering Lost” sets the stage for a purposeful journey of spiritual enlightenment with no set destination.
“Torn Reckless” dips its toes into woolly shoegaze and following a beguilingly delicate intro, “Fate Is Forward” explodes with supernova force, ejecting coronal mass in a radiant display of elemental magnitude, a humbling and awe inspiring spectacle for the senses. “All I Need” shuffles dreamily along the blissful corridors of the heart toward a billowing conclusion that showcases Blackwater Holylight finding comfort in this new identity.
If You Only Knew is available now via Suicide Squeeze Records. Stream the album on Spotify and follow Blackwater Holylight on Instagram.
Upcoming Shows
4/25 - Austin, TX - Austin Psych Fest - TICKETS
w/ Explosions in the Sky, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Black Mountain