Black God is the latest iteration of a Louisville hardcore supergroup who were originally known as Black Widows. After releasing one EP in 2002, the group, which teamed Endpoint/By The Grace Of God vocalist Rob Pennington with brothers Ryan and Evan Patterson of National Acrobat, were forced for legal reasons to change their name to Black Cross. However, over the next five years or so, despite shifting rhythm sections and sporadic activity, Black Cross were able to release two albums and several EPs worth of their excellent hardcore/rock n’ roll hybrid music.
Black God is the latest iteration of a Louisville hardcore supergroup who were originally known as Black Widows. After releasing one EP in 2002, the group, which teamed Endpoint/By The Grace Of God vocalist Rob Pennington with brothers Ryan and Evan Patterson of National Acrobat, were forced for legal reasons to change their name to Black Cross. However, over the next five years or so, despite shifting rhythm sections and sporadic activity, Black Cross were able to release two albums and several EPs worth of their excellent hardcore/rock n’ roll hybrid music. Now comes yet another iteration of a very similar group, with a very similar name. Black God still features Rob Pennington on vocals and Ryan Patterson (now of Coliseum) on guitar, but bassist Evan Patterson, who also plays guitar in Young Widows, has bowed out. In his place comes Young Widows bassist Nick Thieneman, and the lineup is rounded out by young hotshot drummer Ben Sears. Black God have already released one blistering six-song EP, which came out on No Idea Records last year. Now they’re following it up with another half-dozen songs of hardcore fury entitled Black God II, also on No Idea. The lead single from that EP (which in its entirety isn’t much longer than a conventional single, but hey, this is hardcore) is “Everyone’s A Friend,” and director Max Moore shot a great black-and-white clip of the band playing the song in what sure looks like the front stairwell of an apartment building. A small but clearly devoted group of fans crowd in around the band, and the entire thing has the atmosphere of a classic DIY punk rock house show, where the cops could show up at anytime and shut the whole thing down, so the band has to play fast and get it over with. Black God rise to the occasion, with Pennington in particular proving that, after 20 years in the hardcore scene, he’s still at the top of his game. The whole thing’s over in just a little more than 90 seconds, so don’t look away from the screen while it’s playing–when songs are this short and this good, every second counts.
Check out both Black God EPs, and download a free mp3 of “Everyone’s A Friend,” at the Black God bandcamp page: HERE. And pick up your very own vinyl copy of Black God II from No Idea right HERE.
