Black Monsoon - Pantomime (Single Review)

This is my first ever music review, so let me lay out a bit of context to begin.

You know those conversations you’ve had with mostly older music fans with tough leathery skin, propping up the bar somewhere in Camden, well into their 9th pint and claiming to have witnessed some near-mythical gig before a band got big? U2 playing for 9 people at the Hope and Anchor in Islington (true story), Radiohead’s first show at the Jericho Tavern etc. Well, we had the genuine privilege of having Dutch band Black Monsoon play the final show of their UK Tour for us nearly one year ago today, and it gave me that same feeling. That small but epic show (with Rough Stone, Aliceissleeping, and Empty Friend supporting) was one of the highlights of our first year of ‘Civil War’ in 2019, and not only did Black Monsoon CRUSH their set, they practically ‘blew the bloody doors off’ to quote  Michael Caine, in that wee basement at the Constitution in Camden. They were loud (100% YES) heavy (yes), melodic (yes), and they skillfully mined that glorious seam between chaos and control where the very best live music is to be found. My ears rang with joyous feedback for what seemed like weeks. The 30 or 40 people at that show got a real fucking treat, I’m telling you, from a band well worthy of larger venues and a proper career in music. What’s more, they were so very, well… Dutch. Frank, kind, enthusiastic, matter of fact, humble and generally top human beings.

Black Monsoon are somehow a 3-piece, not that you’d know it to hear them live, and what is true of them personally is also true of their music. It is unpretentious, direct, and refreshing. And so it is that they have new material coming out very soon on 13 November in the shape of ‘Pantomime’ (from their forthcoming album of the same name). The indomnitable Jacky Kwast often but not always leads on vocals, and this new track shows second guitarist (I won’t say lead or rhythm guitarist, as it alternates throughout in their live set) Teun Guichelaar stepping in with his own, solid, contrasting raspy vocal style. You know exactly what you’re gonna get from this track as soon as the drum intro and guitars kick in. This song, clocking in at just 2 minutes and 9 seconds, has a clever and really well-executed White-Stripes-with-puppets style video, and is catchy and radio-friendly while still drawing blood with some fairly dark introspective lyrics, tastefully distorted and snarling guitar lines, and polished (but not too polished) backing vocals from Jacky.

The influence of classic grunge and 90s alternative in the vein of Nirvana / Sonic Youth / Pixies is ever-present and this song is absolutely built for the rock radio mainstream, and because of that you could argue that it lacks some of the sonic-punch-in-the-face material and grit that you get from them live. Nonetheless, it showcases a lot of what they do best, with drummer Marjolijn Dokter merrily just kicking the shit out of her drum kit throughout (she has a phenomenal engine live, and could, but doesn’t over play), Jacky supplying simple but relentless riffs, gutteral cries and raw energy, and Teun (who is a nice, friendly guy) revealing his anger and disillusionment to us all through his guitar playing, vocal delivery and lyrical imagery. Now, the lyrics are not going to win an Ivor, but they don’t need to here. They work and they work well, giving us what I feel to be the textbook Black Monsoon vibe of a sort of effortless cool and understated anger. They also just don’t seem to give a shit or be worried about anything, really, other than the music immediately at hand and having a good time, which is in the very best possible traditions of rock and roll.

The song ‘Pantomime’ is not challenging and seems quite deliberate if you take my meaning, but what it lacks in complexity and use of tension (something they have mastered in older material, like personal favourite ‘Secret Night Skies’) it makes up for with swagger in spades, and still leaves you eager to hear more. The real challenge, then, is for the full album to deliver some of these other things that we need as listeners, but I have faith that it will, because I simply can’t believe that the members of Black Monsoon would let us down.

I’ll be checking out their album as well in the next couple of weeks so for now I will reserve judgement, but for this single, it’s a firm thumbs up. I am a big supporter of theirs and while I personally prefer some of their darker and more raw-sounding material, this is a strong, snappy single designed to bring in new followers, like a good single should. As a closing comment - if there is any justice in this sordid world, Black Monsoon should be mainland Europe’s next big alternative rock band and I hope for them that one day, that happens. (Dave Kirk, Civil War UK, 12.11.20)