The most jarring part about listening to the London band black midi isn’t how much musical ground they cover—post-punk, progressive rock, breakneck jazz, cabaret—but the fact that they cover it all at once. A quasi-concept album that seems to have something to do with war (“Welcome to Hell”, “27 Questions”), or at least the violence men do more generally (“Sugar/Tzu”, “Dangerous Liaisons”), Hellfire isn’t an easy listen. But it’s funny (main character: Tristan Bongo), beautiful, at least in a garish, misanthropic way (the Neil Diamond bombast of “The Defence”), and so obviously playful in its intelligence that you just want to let it run over you. The first listen feels like being yelled at in a language you don’t understand. By the third, you’ll be yelling with them.
Tracklisting
- Hellfire
- Hellfire
- Sugar/Tzu
- Eat Men Eat
- Welcome To Hell
- Still
- Half Time
- The Race Is About To Begin
- Dangerous Liaisons
- The Defence
- 27 Questions
- Flexi-disc
- Chondromalacia Patella (Live at Electrical Audio)
Apple Music
Videos
black midi - Welcome To Hell
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Release Images
Release Information
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia URL | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellfire_(Black_Midi_album) |
| Format | Vinyl LP Album (Red), Flexi-disc 7" 45 RPM Single Sided (Orange), All Media Limited Edition Special Edition |
| Label | Rough Trade |
| Catalog Number | RT0321LPE |
| Notes | Pressed on transparent red vinyl. Many copies came pressed on opaque red vinyl. Bundled with an orange flexi-disc [r=23998898] exclusive to Black Midi’s Webstore and Bandcamp page. Housed in a gatefold sleeve and includes an extra hype sticker inside. Side A ends with a locked groove. Track B1 ‘Half Time’ is only mentioned in the lyrics and credits section on the sleeve. |
| Discogs URL | Black Midi - Hellfire |