Out of Denmark, Black Oak County has been one of the most exciting new bands to hit the modern Hard Rock scene in quite some time. Together for around a decade, releasing their self-titled album in 2016, Theatre of the Mind in 2019, they now return on October 25th, 2024 with their third album, III via Mighty Music.
With singer/Guitarist Niels Beier, Bassist Rene Kristensen, Guitarist Jack Svedsen, and Drummer Mike Svedsen, the foursome have solidified themselves as heavy players in the Hard Rock/Metal scene around the world relatively quickly, However, this latest LP is a journey through both the past and present. Co-written and produced with the assistance of Nicklas Sonne (Defecto), III delivers an emotional and almost garage-band rawness and intensity that few bands today can match, utilizing unreleased riffs and grooves that had not yet appeared on a Black Oak County record.
Twelve songs altogether, III showcases forceful vocals and diligently beautiful instrumentation, further stapling their place amongst the Hard Rock charts. For example, songs like “Fire Inside” illuminate the group’s ability to blend soft and melodic elements with heavy riffs, capturing the popcorn-like ferociousness of anger and vulnerability. This is while “Save Your Breath” stands as a lithium-charged anthem about the disconcerting frustrations of a failing relationship, deftly combining classic but still fresh Hard Rock riffs with Heavy Metal intensity.
Furthermore, III explores a kaleidoscopic range of styles, bouncing from vicious, hard-hitting tracks to more reflective and softer ballads. This is the case with the record’s encore “Broken Window,” as well as “Enemy,” which showcases the band’s gentler side. For fans that desperately loved the first two albums the latter may seem to be a curveball, but it serves only as a light imploration that the Danish quartet continues to develop and expand their horizons.
Overall, Black Oak County is not simply a Hard Rock or Heavy Metal band, instead, they are a group of four splendid musicians who are discovering unique ways to demonstrate not only their talent but their supreme influence. It is no secret that III also forecasts the types of live shows that audience members will be subjected to, as Black Oak County packs for a Danish fall tour. There are anthems to be played on this album, and with the tremendous cohesion and creativity within the separate members, it is a foregone conclusion just how stellar the live dates will be.
Black Oak County may have taken a few unforeseen turns throughout the composition of III, but that does not diminish the impact it could have on the Hard Rock ecosystem. Sounding fresh and tighter than ever, Cryptic Rock gives Black Oak County’s III 4 out of 5 stars.
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