NYC-based post-punk duo Black Rose Burning has shared two new teasers for the tracks “When The Master Calls” and “Roses In The Dark” from their forthcoming album ‘The Fear Machine’. The fourth album from George Grant and Luis Infantas sees the band return to their roots with a darker, more synth-driven sound reminiscent of their debut ‘The Year of the Scorpion’. Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Grant at PVRCo in Putnam Valley, New York, the record arrives as a concept album inspired by a sci-fi idea Grant has harbored since childhood.
The album centers on a world kept in a constant state of fear to power a machine that feeds on human anxiety, grief and agitation. This darker thematic content offers direct commentary on the current state of the world. “The songs on this record are a bit darker and thematically a bit more centered on what the world is going through at the moment, especially the United States,” says Grant. “Even though our ongoing motto is Love Won, Love Lost and Outer Space, we felt it was important to take a stand musically for our community and people who are being affected in it.” The duo balances pointed social observation with their signature melodic sensibility and hooks.
Musically, ‘The Fear Machine’ marks a shift from the more guitar-forward sound of their latest record ‘Ad Astra’. The album’s powerful, melodic soundscape relies on subtle interplay between intricate guitar work and synth programming. “We tried to get back to the basics of the sound we make as Black Rose Burning,” Grant explains. “The Fear Machine comes back to balancing the interplay between keys and guitars, both working in tandem with quite a bit more subtlety concerning the guitars.” The unique album artwork draws inspiration from ancient Mayan and Aztec cultures, a shared interest between Grant and Peruvian-born drummer Infantas that connects to their ongoing fascination with space travel and cosmic themes.