'Devils Please Be Gone' is the first new music in nearly five years from Finnish band Black Twig and is a taster for their forthcoming album ‘Was Not Looking for Magic‘, which is released on February 26th, 2021 via Soliti.
They are a traditional all-male four-piece comprising vocalist, guitar, bass and drums. The main man seems to be Aki Pohjankyrö, who is credited with writing the lyrics, recording and mixing, also composition and arrangement with the other band members.
Ari says, "This track obviously plays with biblical imagery, but it's not Christian or anti-Christian. It's more like "secular gospel", if you want to call it that - and uses images and themes embedded in culture surrounding us. I came up with the chorus in rehearsals when we were playing a draft version of the song, and I was improvising something on top of the music. It immediately felt "right", and the rest of the lyrics were built on that theme: of dealing with your own "devils" or demons".
The PR speaks of “melodic but noisy guitar music” which has endeared them to fans. They aren’t that noisy in my view, at least judging from this track. Let’s put it this way. They aren’t in the Swans, My Bloody Valentine or SUNN O))) decibel league.
The song is played at a steady pace against a fairly placid guitar riff until it speeds up in the instrumental bridge, and it almost has a 1970s early hard prog rock feel to it.
Think of a band like Atomic Rooster for example. Or perhaps Family. Rooster’s ‘Devil’s Answer’ wasn’t what drove me to the analogy by the way!
I’m sure there’s still a market for this sort of music in the UK, and ergo a niche to be filled. And that’s the gospel truth, guv.
The band is:
Aki Pohjankyrö: Vocals, guitars
Rasmus Rantanen: Drums, percussions, keyboards, guitars
Kaarlo Stauffer: Bass, guitars, keyboards
Janne Vainikainen: Guitars
Black Twig’s return is timely as the bands' long time label Soliti turns ten this year. Black Twig are one of the first artists released on the label and helped forge Soliti's reputation.