Chicago-based trio BLACK SITES fuse together aspects of old school metal and 80s thrash with progressive and melodic styles. The band will release their fourth full length The Promised Land? on September 6th, 2024. This is the first album to feature Brandon White (REPENTANCE) on drums.
BLACK SITES' frontman Mark Sugar comments on The Promised Land?: "In the immediate aftermath of our last album Untrue, we amassed a pile of new ideas pretty quickly. In June 2023, we began recording at the legendary Electrical Audio studios, an amazing experience which feels even more special in light of Steve Albini’s recent passing. Towards the end of the process, we somehow convinced Tom Draper (SPIRIT ADRIFT) and Matt Johnsen (PHARAOH) to contribute guest solos to the record."
Sugar continues, "To me, The Promised Land? stands as a unique achievement in our catalog. It will sound familiar to anyone who’s heard us before, but it expands on ideas we’ve been pursuing since the beginning, and kicks open some new doors as well. I think the record’s strength is in its diversity, but there is a musical and lyrical worldview that keeps things feeling cohesive. This is BLACK SITES at our most ambitious and complex."
Formed in 2016 as a studio project, BLACK SITES combine old school metal with guitar harmonies, melodic/clean vocals and progressive elements, primarily drawing inspiration from the likes of VOIVOD, BLACK SABBATH, and KING’S X. The band released their debut In Monochrome in 2017 (Mascot Records), and Exile in 2019, with 2021 bringing Untrue produced by Sanford Parker and awarded Record Of the Year by Dr. A.N. Grier @ AngryMetalGuy.com.
BLACK SITES is:
Mark Sugar (Vocals, Guitar)
Ryan Bruchert (Guitar)
Brandon White (Drums)
Guest Performers:
Matt Johnsen (PHARAOH), guitar on “Dread Tomorrow”
Tom Draper (SPIRIT ADRIFT, ex-CARCASS), guitar on “Chasing Eternity”
Album Credits:
Producer: Mark Sugar
Recording Studio: Electrical Audio, Rax Trax, Nightmare on Mace Street
Engineer: Taylor Hales
Mastering: Noam Wallenberg @ Rax Trax, Chicago
Mixing: Noam Wallenberg @ Rax Trax, Chicago
Album Cover Artist: Alexandre Goulet
Album Formats: CD, Digital, LP (Black)
The Promised Land? Track Listing:
1. Descent (5:52)
2. Dread Tomorrow (5:04)
3. Gideon (5:35)
4. World On Fire (6:15)
5. Chasing Eternity (4:45)
6. Promised Land (11:42)
7. Many Turn To None (4:55)
Introduce yourselves. Who's in the band? Hi! We are Mark Sugar, Ryan Bruchert, and Brandon White.
When did you form? The original lineup of Black Sites formed in 2016. We have had a multitude of lineup changes since then.
Where y'all from? Chicago, IL.
Were you in bands before? Yes.
Who influences you musically? Speaking for myself (this is Mark): Black Sabbath, Voivod, Hammers of Misfortune, Metallica, King's X, Paradise Lost, Thin Lizzy, Van Halen, Rush, Fates Warning, and about a billion other things.
Why did you choose the name of the band? Because it would be weird if we let someone else choose the name of the band. They might have named us "Dolphin Colonoscopy" or something. Actually, that's not too bad for a band name.
How would you describe your music? Some reviewer called us "progressive-ish metal" a while back, and I can't really argue with that.
Tell us about your new album "The Promised Land". What's the songs about?
Global anxiety, personal misery, and the many flaws in human nature. Fun stuff!
How does it differ from your previous album Untrue?
This is our first record with Brandon White on drums, and he brings a new flavor to the songs. We also worked with a new engineer named Noam Wallenberg on the mix/master, and that made a huge impact on how we sound. This record is very unique in the Black Sites discography.
How did recording go? It was hard work, but I think the results were worth it. This is probably the best-sounding record we've done.
How about live shows? Any plans? There are no live shows planned at the moment.
What's the scene like where you are guys? Where we are guys, the scene is great. But in the places where we AREN'T guys, that's when things get weird. Fortunately, we're very secure.
What's next for you guys? It's already happening, and the world will find out about it when the time is right.
https://blacksites.bandcamp.com/album/untrue
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