Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats - Shapes of Midnight

With Black Sabbath now sadly done and dusted, there's been a noticeable void in heavy music. Plenty of bands have tried to capture that same dark, riff-driven magic, but few have done it as convincingly as Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats.

They've probably spent the last decade trying to shake off the constant Sabbath comparisons, but the reality is that they're unavoidable. The good news is that Shapes of Midnight proves there's far more to Uncle Acid than simply worshipping at the altar of Birmingham's finest.

Partly inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's The Masque of the Red Death and the horrors of modern life, Shapes of Midnight is packed with the band's trademark mix of occult themes, psychedelic melodies and thick, fuzz-drenched riffs.

Opening track House by the Grave immediately sets the tone. At times it feels like Black Sabbath and Tame Impala have somehow ended up in the same rehearsal room. The final couple of minutes are particularly strong, built around an excellent galloping riff while distant chimes ring out like a death knell. A nostalgic, eerie and a perfect introduction to the album.

The title track leans further into the psychedelic side of the band, bringing in synth-heavy elements that add another layer to the record. When Evil Wakes follows with a simple but incredibly catchy bass line and one of the strongest middle sections on the album.

Don't Let It Control You feels slightly more contemporary than some of the surrounding tracks without sounding out of place, while Psycho on the Loose contains one of the biggest earworms here. The chorus is so infectious you'll find yourself picking up the lyrics before they even arrive.

Next, I Won't Sleep ('til You're Gone) is a wonderfully trippy throwback that sounds like it was lifted straight from the 1970s, whilst The Other Side of the Sky blends old and new influences brilliantly. Thin Lizzy-style twin guitar harmonies make an appearance alongside an unexpected cowbell that somehow works perfectly.

The closing track Sleep No More takes things down a notch, ending the album on a slower and more reflective note rather than going out with a huge finale. It feels fitting for a record that's as much about atmosphere as it is about riffs.

If you've been searching for something to fill the void left by Black Sabbath's retirement, Shapes of Midnight comes pretty close. It's dark, catchy, weird and wonderfully retro in all the right places.

Shapes of Midnight comes out on the 18th September via Killer Candy Records