Blackwater Holylight – “Not Here Not Gone”
Label: Suicide Squeeze Records
Rating: 7.5/10
Review: Manuel Gay
A perfect balance between Heavy Music and aerial emotion.
If you’re wondering how music can be both crushingly heavy and surprisingly light, look no further than Blackwater Holylight’s fourth studio album. The all-female heavy psych band recently relocated to Los Angeles and continue to redefine the boundaries of doom, sludge, and psychedelic rock with a record that feels both massive and intimate. From the very first moments of Not Here Not Gone, the contrast is striking. Opener “How Will You Feel” sets the tone with Sunny Faris’ ethereal vocals floating above a raw and powerful musical base. It’s a perfect introduction to an album built on duality — power and sensitivity.
“Bodies” pushes further into that layered heaviness. Then comes “Heavy, Why?” — a standout track on this record. The trippy soundscape builds patiently before erupting into an exhilarating, explosive crescendo powered by droning guitars and thundering drums. A short interlude arrives with “Giraffe,” a suffocating instrumental that feels intentionally claustrophobic, before the album resumes at full power with “Spades”. Eliese Dorsay’s drumming is nothing short of incredible.
For much of the record, it feels like Blackwater Holylight is coming straight at you with relentless intensity. However, that momentum shifts beautifully on “Void To Be” and “Fade.” Here, the band opens a door into a different facet of their sound. The aggression softens, giving space to atmosphere and emotional depth. It’s as if they’re inviting us to step inside a more vulnerable, expansive dimension of their music. “Mourning After” continues in that introspective realm, deepening the album’s emotional resonance while maintaining its sonic weight.
The album closes with the incredible seven-minute epic “Poppyfields.” It’s a powerful finale that encapsulates everything Blackwater Holylight does best: slow-building tension and immersive atmosphere. The track unfolds patiently, leaving a lasting impression long after the final note.
With this fourth album, Blackwater Holylight once again demonstrates why they are one of the most exciting bands in their genre. They master the balance between crushing intensity and dreamlike ambience — a combination rarely achieved with such perfection.
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