Currently comprised of founding members Christian Gordy (vocals, guitar) and Justin Sherrell (bass, vocals) and newest member Adam Taylor (drums), the New York-based doom metal/hard rock/stoner rock trio Blackout released two albums through renowned hard rock/stoner rock label RidingEasy Records — their 2013 debut effort We Are Here and 2015’s self-titled album — before going through a hiatus, which resulted in the departure of the band’s third founding member Taryn Waldman. Waldman’s departure from the band was a devastating blow to Gordy and Sherrell, both of whom saw Waldman as being so instrumental to their sound and songwriting approach that they felt the band’s fate was uncertain; however, last summer Gordy armed with a handful of mushrooms and a bottle of tequila set out to write new material for the band — and while being particularly inspired, Gordy contacted and recruited Adam Taylor, who had just left Ghost Punch to write and record the band’s third and latest album The Horse, which RidingEasy Records released last month. 

“Graves,” The Horse’s first single will further cement the trio’s reputation for a gritty and bruising sound, consisting of sludgy power chords and thundering drumming that reportedly draws influence from Helmet, Cro-Mags, Judge, Prong and others but just underneath the surface is a slow-burning brooding sense of menace.  And it shouldn’t be surprising as the song describes scenery from the apocalypse in such vivid terms that you can smell the sulfur and feel the debris falling around you, and feel everyone around you going absolutely mad from panic. 

The recently released lysergic-tinged video features footage of the band playing in front of a projection screen that features footage of the cosmos, nuclear bombs exploding, psychedelic sludge, exploding lava and other scenery; in some way, it’s like a White Zombie video gone absolutely insane.