Atanaria
Chokebore’s Black Black has always occupied a peculiar space in their discography. Initially met with some hesitation upon its original release in 1998, the album has undergone a quiet reassessment over time. With the recent remastered re-release on Vicious Circle, listeners have another chance to rediscover its melancholic beauty, slow-burning emotional resonance, and moments of raw indie rock energy.
At first listen, Black Black might seem like a collection of Taste For Bitters leftovers—songs that, while competent, don’t quite reach the dramatic highs of its predecessor. But with repeated plays, the album reveals its own quiet strengths. The faster, more immediate tracks like “Speed of Sound” and “Sunshine of My Life” showcase Chokebore’s signature mix of distorted indie rock and emotive vocals, capturing the band’s ability to blend ragged energy with introspection. The vocals, which fluctuate between mumbled vulnerability and breathy, slurred confidence, add a unique charm to the album’s character.
Among the standouts, “The Perfect Date” leans into jagged-edged rock, propelled by powerful moan-scream vocals, making it one of the most forceful tracks on the album. On the other end of the spectrum, “The Sweetness” provides a dreamy, surreal atmosphere, a moment of lightness within the band’s often dense emotional weight. Meanwhile, “Every Move A Picture” is a hauntingly beautiful slow burn, gradually unfolding its intricate layers of sadness and melody.
That’s not to say Black Black is flawless. “Where Is the Assassin?” feels like an experiment that doesn’t quite land, with its lo-fi, walkie-talkie-filtered piano and vocals coming off as more of a curiosity than a compelling song. The 15-minute closer, “The Rest of Your Evening,” has the potential to be hypnotic under the right circumstances but can also feel meandering. However, the album’s strongest moments easily outweigh these weaker tracks.
While it may never surpass Taste For Bitters, Black Black stands as a solid entry in Chokebore’s catalog. It’s an album that sneaks up on you—what first sounds like a mix of highs and lows eventually transforms into a cohesive, emotionally rich experience. It may not be a masterpiece, but if Chokebore can continue crafting albums of this caliber, that’s more than enough reason to keep listening.
