Black Space Riders – Amoretum Vol.1 – Album Review

A blend of gruff vocals (bordering on death metal at times!) mixed with brooding crooning and boisterous riffs tempered by space-rock strangeness inform Amoretum Vol.1, the 5th album from Germany’s Black Space Riders.

Traversing the outer reaches of space – along with psychedelia, space-rock and stoner rock – Black Space Riders have offered an album that’s otherworldly in its inventiveness and diversity, yet still in love with the awesome power of guitar-driven noise. Sure, there’s a nod to David Bowie’s ‘Major Tom’ on the subversive “Movements” (in fact, Bowie’s legacy is imprinted throughout the album) but the majority of Amoretum Vol.1 is a momentous space-boogie of danceable tunes and massive, massive riffs.

With opener “Lovely Lovelie” throwing us a curveball with its sandpaper vocals it’s left to the aforementioned “Movements” and the trippy beats of “Fire! Fire! (Death Of A Giant)” to provide the meat on Amoretum Vol.1‘s bones….and you’d be hard pressed to find a more-fleshed out ‘stoner’ album this year; such is the quality of the songs on offer here!

Apparently, this just the beginning for Black Space Riders in 2018, with the band already announcing a second chapter to be released later in the year…. Amoretum Vol. 2 is waiting for us!

But, for now, we’re more than content with volume 1! 8/10

Amoretum Vol.1 was released on January 26, 2018. The LP can be pre-ordered on all digital platforms, including Bandcamp, as well as at www.blackspaceriders.com/shop