The Black Angels

Formed in Austin, Texas in 2004, The Black Angels develop a dark, repetitive psychedelic rock rooted in garage rock and 1960s influences. The band's name refers to the Velvet Underground song 'The Black Angel’s Death Song'. The group is built around singer‑bassist Alex Maas and guitarist Christian Bland, joined over the years by various musicians for touring and studio work. From the album Passover (2006), The Black Angels established a sonic foundation of distorted guitars, hazy keyboards and heavy rhythms, continued on Directions to See a Ghost (2008) and Phosphene Dream (2010), which tightened the songwriting while preserving a hypnotic atmosphere. Indigo Meadow (2013) and the EP Clear Lake Forest (2014) emphasize the melodic side without abandoning long instrumental buildups, while Death Song (2017) and Wilderness of Mirrors (2022) deepen a world whose lyrics address war, political paranoia and contemporary excesses. Closely tied to Austin's psychedelic scene, the band helped found the Austin Psych Fest, now Levitation, and notably collaborated with Roky Erickson, accompanying him on stage. Through work focused on repetition, textures and tempo contrasts, The Black Angels place themselves within a psychedelic continuum while engaging with contemporary sounds.