Black Helicopter/ Don’t Fuck With the Apocalypse

Black Helicopter
Don’t Fuck With the Apocalypse
(Ecstatic Peace!)

Black Helicopter are intriguingly named after the alleged unmarked black helicopters used by the New World Order (aka Lizard Kings) in preparation for taking over the United States. The people that peddle these kinds of theories (ie David Icke) are clearly nuts, although Boston’s hard rock outfit Black Helicopter are thankfully still in possession of their marbles.
They’ve been knocking around for approximately 10 years now and despite having already released two albums have somehow how avoided the giddy heights of commercial success. Third release ‘Don’t Fuck With the Apocalypse’ might be the record that changes all that.
That’s not to say Black Helicopter are interested in compromising their art for the yankee dollar. ‘Don’t Fuck With the Apocalypse’ is unrelentingly heavy, guitar amps permanently set to overdrive, but at the same time understands the need for pop melodies. With such a heavy (but not heavy metal) sound it’s quite fitting that it’s been released on Ecstatic Peace!, the indie label setup by Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore.
Consisting of 14 tracks, including two at under 30 seconds, the songs cover such topics as accepting one’s own limitations (‘In the Blood’), pining for days long gone (‘Golden Days’) and watching video nasties in slow mo ('Pickle Jar').
If pushed for a favourite track on ‘Don’t Fuck With the Apocalypse’ it would be a tough call as it is such a strong album, but it would probably be the most melancholic of the songs here ‘Copout’. If you like Sonic Youth, Pavement or Shellac then check out Black Helicopter - you won’t be disappointed.