Black Tish: Throbbing Flip Out

Story: Ralph Greco, Jr.

Formed in Brussels, Belgium, in the late 80s, Black Tish comes to us now, many years after first coming onto the scene with their specific style of industrial electronica, with Throbbing Flip Out. This new release features seven songs, some old(er) songs, some new, all helmed by the band’s leader and founder Bob Coecke.

Beginning with “New New Song 2020,” we get the obligatory scary low sweeping keys, some vocalizing way back in the mix, and a screechy guitar that will come to the fore, with a beat slipping in just under three minutes in. This kind of layered production Black Tish will employ pretty much through the tunes here and with those few shouted moments, screechy guitar sometimes holding a riff, sometimes not. It is when the beat gets more pronounced with some shaky metallic percussion that there is more to hold on this opener.

Overall, I get a very Rammstein vibe on this one.

A cool slipping guitar opening gets us into what I feel is an actual real tune on the next track, “Old Song 2020.” As we settle into a sly percussion bed, the bass almost becomes the lead instrument in its roiling, while once again, we get some screams back in the mix. The guitar wailing increases until it is the main feature until the end.

“Squishy” begins with a cute little girly squeal, then into a quick beat. Scary backing synths again abound, as we probably get the loudest, most feedback guitar riffing on all of this collection

I like “Musique Concrete” for its big, heavy riffing guitar and shunky beat. It doesn’t go much of anywhere, but it rocks, despite that shouting vocalizing once again and some synth stuff over the top.

We seem to be coming around again to the same kind of song and production with the ender “B13 Digest,” as we did from the first song. A low bass drum beat rises, there’s that scary vocalizing again, and we are deep in a soundscape swirl and less a real tune, as is pretty much true of all the seven here.

Stream or purchase “Viral Apocalypse” on Bandcamp.

Stream “Throbbing Flip Out” on Bandcamp.

Stream “Viral Apocalypse” on Spotify.

Stream “Throbbing Flip Out” on Spotify.

Ralph Greco, Jr. is the devilishly clever nom de plume of professional writer/musician Ralph Greco who lives in the wilds of suburban New Jersey. He is also a podcast co-host, but as everyone has a podcast these days, this fact is of very little consequence.

Ralph can be reached by writing ralphiedawriter@gmail.com