Black Stone Cherry's 'The Human Condition' - Album Review

While I do not listen to the band anywhere near as much I used to, the Kentucky four-piece Black Stone Cherry will always be an important band to me. I first got into them in 2008, around the time that their second album Folklore and Superstition was released, and hearing it made me realise that southern rock was certainly alive and well in the 21st Century. At the time I was pretty familiar with Lynyrd Skynyrd, but my wider southern rock knowledge was pretty weak - so Black Stone Cherry acted as something of a gateway back to bands like Blackfoot, Molly Hatchet, and The Allman Brothers Band, all of whom I am now a big fan off. At the time of my first hearings of Folklore and Superstition, my musical taste weas greatly expanding. I had already had my fill of classic and progressive rock, and was branching out into more areas - particularly metal. Black Stone Cherry had a real grit to their sound, which somewhat fed my burgeoning metallic tastes, but their southern grooves and heartfelt songwriting set them apart - and in truth they are probably largely responsible for my love of southern rock today. It was a shame then that, for me at least, after Folklore and Superstition the band started to loose their way a little. 2011's Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea remains a fun album, but 2014's Magic Mountain (which I reviewed here) appeared to be the product of a band that was really not sure which direction they wanted to pursue. Reading between the lines, I think that Roadrunner Records, who released the band's first four albums, were pushing the band towards more of a post-grunge radio rock sound with a lot of outside songwriters - and Magic Mountain was a combination of that and the band still trying to stick to their southern roots. There has always been a little post-grunge influence in Black Stone Cherry's sound, but I think Roadrunner wanted to emphasise this element above all else - leading the band loose their identity somewhat. In my view, leaving Roadrunner and signing with Mascot in 2015 was one of the best business decisions that the band have made. Both 2016's Kentucky (which I reviewed here) and 2018's Family Tree (which I also reviewed here) saw the band's modern take on southern rock pushed to the fore again - and it was great to see them back on track. On Mascot, the band have been extremely prolific too, and last month saw the release of their seventh album The Human Condition - their third full-length album since signing with the label. In my view, The Human Condition picks up where Family Tree left off two years ago - but also sees the band looking back into their past. It is my understanding that some of the songs presented here were written at various stages throughout their career and, for whatever reason, were never recorded. Some of these songs even appear to come from the Roadrunner days, as songwriters like Dave Bassett and Blair Daly are credited on a handful of them, but the band's current, rawer production style ensures that everything feels at home - even if a handful of songs do push the post-grunge vibes a little more so than the band have allowed for a while. A little nostalgia and experimentation does the band no harm however, and their core sound is still very much alive and well.

Despite having thirteen tracks, the album's under 50 minute runtime keeps it from outstaying its welcome. The vast majority of the songs here are under four minutes long; meaning that each track hits you with a couple of strong hooks or riffs before quickly moving on. This helps the album to flow nicely, and each listen to the album really flies by. There are lot of big, hard rocking tracks here, but the album opens with three of its biggest hitters. Ringin' in My Head is one of only two songs here to breach the four minute mark, its hard-hitting style and smooth, melodic chorus a great way to open the album. Feedback fills the speakers as the song starts, but a staccato, bluesy riff soon kicks in and frontman Chris Robertson starts singing at the same time. It is a slightly strange way to start the album, but it works well and gives the song a sense of urgency. The verses follow this staccato vibe, with a subtle reggae-esque groove backing it at times, while the choruses are much more full - with subtle guitar leads and a much more expansive sound. In some ways the song harks back to the arena rock sound of Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea, but the rawer production, which really pushes John Fred Young's drums to the fore, gives the song a great groove to fit in with the band's Mascot-era sound. Again, the album's lead single, is much more southern-sounding, with a main riff that would have felt at home on their 2006 self-titled debut album, before a buzzing, bass-led verse forms the backing for another great Robertson vocal. In my opinion, he is one of the best modern hard rock singers - and his performance throughout this album really displays this. He can really roar when needed, but he can also deliver a really convincing and heartfelt emotional performance. Again showcases all sides of his voice, with the verses seeing him rock out, before the choruses (the first of which is semi-acoustic) allows for a more melodic delivery. It might be the sort of song that we have heard a number of times from the band at this point, but Again is still a winner - with a great, explosive guitar solo to cap it all off. Push Down & Turn continues on the heavy vibe established through Again, but builds on it and as a result it is one of the dirtiest sounding tunes here. I am not sure the band have sounded this potent since Reverend Winkle from Folklore and Superstition, and it is great to see the band really letting their hair down here with some southern metallic riffing. One thing that really stands out to me about this album is the drum sound and overall performance of Young. He has always been an impressive drummer, but the production here really allows his performance to be spotlighted. The drum sound here picks out every tom hit and kick strike perfectly, and his drum backing to the song's solo is one of the most barrelling additions to a modern commercial hard rock album that I can recall. When Angels Learn to Fly is the first song here that allows the listener something of a break from the heavy riffing. While it is not exactly a fully-fledged ballad, it is certainly a more heartfelt track with some smoother melodies - particularly during the low-key verses. There is still a good energy throughout the track however, with a catchy lead guitar refrain acting as one of the main hooks - and the chorus has a southern rock-meets-U2 stadium rock feel that really soars, with Robertson once again displaying his talents as a vocalist. This is another song to hark back somewhat to the latter end of their association with Roadrunner, but the melodies are so strong that the song is still very enjoyable despite the more commercial vibes.

Live This Way instantly gets the album back on a harder rocking track however, with a heavy drum intro from Young and another massive riff from Robertson and fellow guitarist Ben Wells. It is a very simple song, but it is packed full of energy and the riffing never lets up throughout - giving the song a heavy, groove-laden feel. In some ways, this is another throwback to the band's early days. The first Black Stone Cherry album is largely a high-energy hard rock affair, and this song taps into that vibe perfectly. The wah-drenched solo harks back to this early sound, while the southern grooves are catchy and full of attitude - which is exactly how I like my Black Stone Cherry to sound. In Love with the Pain slows things down a little again, with a similar vibe to When Angels Learn to Fly present, but the melancholic song still has a decent energy to it. There are more hooky guitar leads to draw the listener in, and the chorus is very memorable with some great vocal melodies and chiming guitar lines. It is the only song here that is under three minutes long, and as a result it really flies by. In some ways, the song feels a little undercooked, which is a shame as the chorus is very strong, but on the other hand this album as a whole seems to be an exercise in fat-trimming so the short track still fits in. The Chain feels like a real throwback to the Folklore and Superstition days with a fuzzy, bluesy guitar opening and some of the biggest riffing on the album. If The Human Condition has any particular 'feature', I would say that it is hooks. Black Stone Cherry have always been a hooky band, but there seems to have been a real focus placed on them here. Each song has a strong hook that makes it stand out, and the shorter nature of the songs makes each song an enjoyable nugget before moving onto the next treat. I quite like this approach, and it does somewhat set it apart from the band's albums while still very much sounding like a Black Stone Cherry release. The Chain's furious riffing makes it one of the hardest rocking tracks here, and it is a standout cut for me as a result. Ride is a little more dynamic, as it opens with a fast-paced main riff but the rest of the song varies the pace up a little to keep things interesting. The juddering verses, with a strong bass presence from Jon Lawhon, bring out the best of Robertson vocally; before the choruses fill out the sound a lot more - while Young's drums really allow them to steam along at a strong pace. It is not the catchiest track here, but the varying pace throughout really allows it to become one of the most energetic. I can see the song becoming a live favourite over the years if the band choose to play it - as the pace will really get a crowd going and its three minute runtime will allow it be a short, sharp hit of energy. If My Heart Had Wings is the first true ballad here, with low-key acoustic-based verses mixing well with bigger-sounding choruses replete with a simple string backing and some emotional vocal hooks. The verses feature some subtle piano lines to bolster the simple arrangement; but it is the chorus that really soars here. The band have always been good at writing ballads, even if Roadrunner really made them the focus at one point, and this is another good example of the style. Robertson allows the band's ballads to really soar as his emotional delivery really suits them, and it is his vocal performance here that makes the song what it is.

Don't Bring Me Down is a cover of the Electric Light Orchestra song from their 1979 album Discovery - but the band have made it their own by injecting some southern groove into the track. It does not sound out of place on the album at all, which is always a good sign when a band choose to record a cover - especially when the original song is quite different from the band's usual style. The big harmony vocals during the choruses pay tribute to the old ELO sound, which is nice, but on the whole the song just sounds like another strong modern Black Stone Cherry cut with a great bass-heavy feel and some bluesy guitar fills throughout the keep things interesting - and it is another strong cover to add to the handful that the band have recorded in the past. Some Stories is another throwback to the band's older sound, with some of the dirtiest, bluesy guitars here filling the intro - before another massive riff kicks the song off proper. One thing that is common in the band's sound is a strutting vibe, and this is a track that is absolutely packed with it. There is so much swagger here that it is not hard to imagine the song playing during a strip club scene in a film; while the melodies during the chorus are extremely memorable - making it one of the songs that easily pulls the listener in during a first listen to the album. The Devil in Your Eyes sounds like it is going to be another hard rocker, with a big opening riff that is filled with the band's trademark energy, but much of the track is actually quite different from the norm with something of a southern rock-meets-AOR vibe - which is probably due to the song being co-written by Marti Frederiksen. Frederiksen's knack for a poppy melody is all over this song, but it has been meshed with the band's usual southern rock style and the mash-up works surprisingly well. The hooks here are really strong, and there is a subtle keyboard presence here that is rarely heard on a Black Stone Cherry track. I really like the song however, and it would be nice to see the band experimenting more with this sound again in the future. The album comes to a close with Keep on Keepin' On, a mid-paced song that again shows the band's post-grunge vibes pushed to the fore. The chorus has a real American radio rock vibe, but the melodies are still really catchy. It sounds a little clean compared to many of the dirtier grooves found throughout the rest of the album, but it is not so different that it sounds out of place. The song still sounds like Black Stone Cherry, but the band have not felt quite so openly commercial since Magic Mountain. It is possible that this is a song that the band have sat on for a while, and it has now finally found a home here. It ends the album on a very light, upbeat note, which is no bad thing after some of the heavier tracks that fill the album - but personally I prefer the band at their loudest and most hard rocking. Overall, however, The Human Condition is another strong album from Black Stone Cherry that sees them allowing themselves perhaps a little more freedom this time around. If Kentucky and Family Tree were about the band re-establishing their core sound, The Human Condition is the band comfortable with that sound and willing to showcase a little experimentation. This is an album that harks back to all of the band's previous sounds and albums, while still presenting a concise and varied collection of songs that will appeal to their old and new fans alike.

The album was released on 30th October 2020 via Mascot Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Again.