Exclusive Track Premiere: Blackest, “The Parish”

This past July, the editors of MetalSucks hand-picked five unsigned bands from an open application process to record with producer Will Putney at Converse Rubber Tracks in Brooklyn, NY, Converse’s completely free, state-of-the-art recording studio. In the weeks leading up to the recording sessions we previewed each band, and in the coming weeks we’ll be premiering the finished tracks from all five! Today we feature Blackest from right here in Brooklyn.

Whether it’s something in the DNA of Brooklyn or not, Blackest have done it: “The Parish” — not “Dickrath” as listed earlier here — is unquestionably one of their best tracks to date. These guys bring the riffs and they bring the unrelenting pace — that much we knew already — but what stands out here is their growth as songwriters. Blackest have put together a song with several distinct parts, tempo changes and adult chord choices, all of which contribute to an incredibly catchy and memorable tune that’ll have you bopping along on first listen. No wonder High on Fire plucked these guys from above to open for a string of East Coast dates. Must’ve been the in-studio back rubs we gave them.