Press Info

Black Earth-(U.S.) 4-song demo 2001
I've been trying so hard to get some original material from this band since all I heard were alot of cover songs for the Dwell Records tribute series including some artists like Twisted Sister, Pantera, Saxon, Scorpions and W.A.S.P. to name a few since there's quite a bit more that were released by the label. Black Earth is based in Indiana, a state not tremendously known for bands but a neighbor to the emphatic Illinois scene of Prog-Power bands! This 4-song sampler is one hell of a ride for what lies ahead for the band, the fans and most importantly, new listeners that know what "true roots" are and Black Earth stress that in every song without sounding like an individual band. If you like guitar solos with balls, Black Earth take that seriously as well. The band can deliver anything from the genre of Giuffria and W.A.S.P. to bands like Trouble, Wicked Maraya (now Maraya), Testament and Metal Church with vocals in the Whitfield Crane, early Chuck

Similar Artists

Godsmack,Black Sabbath,Corrosion of Conformity,Down

Influences

KISS,Black Sabbath,Pantera,Metallica

Bio

Pantera. Queensryche. Suicidal Tendencies. Twisted Sister. Saxon. Scorpions. Dio. W.A.S.P. Black Earth was invited to pay tribute to all of these bands on Dwell Records releases.

And although the band is proud of their unique resume, don’t make the mistake to label Black Earth a cover band. On the contrary…this is an ass-kicking original quintet with a very clear understanding of its diverse musical roots.

Formed in 1999 and based in The Mid-west, Black Earth set out on a challenge: bring back the attitude of 70's and 80's hard rock/metal and add the aggression and grist of today’s nu metal – without sounding dated.

"Look at the differences in the bands that the tributes are for," says guitarist Travis Crider. "Pantera sounds nothing like Queensryche. Suicidal Tendencies sounds nothing like Dio, and so on. I think that being able to cover this vast spectrum of bands, and do it well, shows how diverse we can be with our original music."

What they produce is an unrelenting force of hard rocking sound that screams allegiance to the metal heroes of days gone by with the kind of crunch that is unmistakably contemporary. Their four-song demo provides a handful of examples. In each, the rhythms are the driving pulse ("Down") that carry an emotive and often demanding vocal intensity ("Together We Stay").

Along with Crider, Black Earth is and Dale Christie (vocals), Duane Conn (bass), Brian Tonne (drums) and Craig Savage (guitar). The band's versatility and diverse infl