BLACK TUSK came roaring out of the Savannah swamplands nearly twenty years ago, but the sludge metal veterans aren’t looking back anytime soon. On their seventh album, The Way Forward, the band blaze full steam into the future behind the force of their new yet familiar lineup.
“This record represents our steadfast resolve to keep making music together as a band and evolve our sound”, says Andrew Fidler, BLACK TUSK‘s longtime guitarist and co-vocalist.
The Way Forward comes out tomorrow, Friday, April 26, but you can hear all 11 hard-hitting tracks today on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.
Listen to the full album stream: https://youtu.be/gUx_zKqsPs0
Pre-order: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/BlackTuskWayForward
Pre-save: https://orcd.co/thewayforwardpresave
The Way Forward pulls no punches. Right from the rip, album opener “Out of Grasp” charges head-on to the relentless chop of James May’s snare drum. Lead single Brush Fire quickly grabs the baton and lights it up like a Molotov cocktail. New bassist Derek Lynch makes one hell of a first impression. “I watch you burn!” he spits, already spewing with righteous fury.
“Derek said he’d never done heavy vocals before, so I was like, ‘Well, here’s the mic. Here’s some words. Yell at it and see if you like it.’”, says Fidler. “I was blown away the first time he did it. It sounded good as fuck.”
BLACK TUSK recorded The Way Forward at Hidden Audio, a studio run by frequent collaborator and now official member Chris “Scary” Adams. Not only did Scary handle the production, but he locks horns with Fidler, making this the band’s first album to feature a two guitar attack. On Dance on Your Grave, Fidler lays down a boot-stomping riff so Scary can rip into a solo that never stops climbing.
Of course, no band makes it 19 years without having to shovel their share of shit. “The big theme of this record is putting your life back together”, Fidler says. BLACK TUSK have switched labels and lost members, all while navigating the bumps in the road that come with being tour musicians. But The Way Forward leaves those past misgivings in the rear view. “Sometimes the worst things you’ve ever seen or done end up being the best thing that’s ever happened to you”, May says.
Breath of Life opens with murky synths that swirl like a depressive fog, but that’s just the quiet before the storm. Over fuming distortion, together, BLACK TUSK reach for something that sounds close to a silver lining. “Mercy in suffering, all I see“, they scream in unison.
“The title is kind of a double play,” Fidler says. “It’s the first record with the new lineup, and this is the direction we’re taking the band in. We’ve been doing BLACK TUSK for 19 years now, and we still love it. That’s why we called it The Way Forward.”
Black Tusk Tour Dates
Celebrate The Way Forward with Black Tusk’s new four-piece lineup this Friday, April 26, at their free record release show! Joining the party at Congress Street Social Club are special guests Bronco and fellow Savannahians The Maxines.
Black Tusk will then hit the road in May for more shows with fans down south.
Black Tusk The Way Forward Tour Dates
April 26 Savannah, GA @ Congress St. Social Club [FREE SHOW]
May 23 Atlanta, GA @ Boggs Social & Supply [TICKETS]
May 24 Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub [TICKETS]
May 25 Stuart, FL @ East Ocean Pub [TICKETS]
May 26 Jacksonville, FL @ Rain Dogs [TICKETS]
Early praise for The Way Forward
“They are harder and heavier than ever on this record…Nearly twenty years into their career, Black Tusk show no sign of stopping or slowing down” – Metal Sucks (4/5)
“Powerful, defiant music… a record that fills you with the urge to fight for the future, windmilling like a maniac” – Distorted Sound (8/10)
“A record that just rocks, and rocks hard” – Wonderbox Metal
“The Way Forward is Black Tusk doing what they do best and that’s playing a ton of fucked up and fast-paced grooves that destroy everything within its wake”. – Outlaws of the Sun
More praise for Black Tusk
“A raucous style of punky, hard rocking sludge, with minimum fuss and ample bursts of energy and ballsy aggression” – Angry Metal Guy
“Chaotic and raw, but also extremely catchy and memorable” – Metal Injection
“A no frills band that goes full throttle. Black Tusk are here to stay” – Heavy Music HQ
“An engine-wrecking riff-fest from the Savannah badlands” – Metal Hammer
“Black Tusk are pretty much the only Georgia metal act who still sound like they hail from the home state of Sandra Dee and Uga” – Invisible Oranges
“Alive, raw, furious, loud…they almost make your face vibrate” – Heavy Blog is Heavy
“Black Tusk’s combination of sludge, rock, hardcore and death metal remains fluid, fertile and most importantly, full of life” – Pitchfork
