DARK SIDE OF THE BRAIN FLAT BLACK

• 1 IT’S OK TO BE ANGRY 04:30
• 2 JUSTICE WILL BE DONE 03:40
• 3 SIDEWAYS 03:40
• 4 A BIT OF LIGHTNING 04:17
• 5 UNWANTED 04:04
• 6 HOME 03:16
• 7 HALO 03:42
• 8 IT'S YOUR LACK OF RESPECT 03:52
• 9 NOTHING TO SOME 03:27
• 10 DARK SIDE OF THE BRAIN 04:13
• 11 VILLAIN 03:16
• 12 YOUTH ‘N EYES 00:51
• 13 TIDAL WAVE 03:47
• 14 LET IT GO 03:46
• Total Runtime 50:21

Info for DARK SIDE OF THE BRAIN

Gitarrist Jason Hook ist vor vier Jahren bei Five Finger Death Punch ausgestiegen. Untätig ist er seither nicht gewesen. Mit FLAT BLACK hat er ein neues Projekt auf die Beine gestellt, das inzwischen Veröffentlichungsreife erreicht hat. Am starken Debüt „Dark Side Of The Brain“ wirken Sänger Wes Horton, Bassist Nick Diltz und Schlagzeuger Rob Pierce mit. Der aus Kanada stammende und heute in Las Vegas lebende Jason Hook hat sich für sein Projekt zwar unbekannte, jedoch richtig gute Musiker gesucht. Es setzt 14 Tracks, die von Beginn an ins Ohr gehen und allesamt mit starken Hooklines und Refrains daherkommen. Worauf FLAT BLACK aus sind, versteht man sofort. Alles klingt vertraut. Dennoch gelingt es den Debütanten, ihrem Alternative-Heavy-Groove-Metal-Rock einen eigenen Twist mitzugeben. Die Stücke von „Dark Side Of The Brain“ sind zugänglich wie Mainstream-tauglich, jedoch nicht so übertrieben und plump wie die von Five Finger Death Punch angelegt. Eine organische Erdung und Authentizität sind FLAT BLACK hörbar wichtig. Jason Hook hat selbst produziert, was zusätzlich sicherstellt, dass der Album-Einstand des Projekts so klingt, wie der Gitarrist es sich vorgestellt hat – etliche Soli im Scheinwerferlicht inklusive. Insgesamt gibt es mehr Rock als Metal und einen musikalisch stimmigen und emotional ansprechenden Einstand.

FLAT BLACK

FLAT BLACK
Guitarist Jason Hook is storming out of the gates with his new band FLAT BLACK .

The former Five Finger Death Punch guitarist has recruited a trio of young and talented turks and the band has signed with Fearless Records for its debut album, the details of which are TBA. The album, produced by Hook, was recorded at the Hideout Studios as well as his home studio, both in Las Vegas.

Despite having reached a commercial summit with his prior band, thanks to multiple platinum certifications, sold-out arena shows, and a string of No. 1 singles, Hook remains as hungry for musical blood and thunder as the day he first picked up a guitar at the age of 6. He is eager to not only replicate but to surpass his past successes with his new band.

Having left his prior band in February 2020, which was right before COVID-19 put the entire world on pause, Hook wanted to assume creative control and let his musical free spirit soar in a project that was truly his. He opted to gamble on himself. With great risk comes great reward and the decision to form FLAT BLACK clearly worked out in his favor.

“As a musician, I crave freedom and I wasn’t ready to stop creating,” Hook shares. “Life is short”, he continues, “we all want to feel satisfied and happy with what we are trying to accomplish in life.”

The pandemic shutdown allowed him the opportunity to assemble the right musicians and carefully craft their debut album. FLAT BLACK are armed with an arsenal of riffs that’ll rattle your teeth loose from your gums, stadium-sized hooks, arena-ready anthems, and choruses that are guaranteed to touch a nerve. All of those factors combined make FLAT BLACK poised for success.

The origin stories of the rest of the players are indicative of a lifelong love of music and plenty of road-worn experience. The desire to play courses through their veins and propels them forward, which is why they all meshed so well with Hook.

Singer Wes Horton was introduced to music at age 13, thanks to his sister and Guitar Hero. He honed his vocal chops by playing in local bands and making online videos. Various music industry friends and acquaintances would become the connective tissue between himself and Hook. Horton knew he wanted to be a frontman, and FLAT BLACK afforded him that opportunity. Wes loves the fact that his bandmates prioritize songcraft — and that allows him to be the singer he has always wanted to be.

Bassist Nick Diltz, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, is the son of a legendary rock music photographer who brought him to concerts during his formative years. He recalls being inspired by watching a VHS video of U2 performing at legendary venue Red Rocks. Seeing fans clamoring for a piece of Bono in the footage is a vision that never left his head. This first exposure to the power of a true rock icon solidified Nick’s destiny as a live performer.

Drummer Rob Pierce hails from Nashville, aka Music City. His dad was a race car driver and his grandfather was a pastor. He grew up racing go karts and at first, wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps until he joined the fourth grade band and was bitten by the music bug. He chose the snare drum over the saxophone and from that moment on, music was the only thing that mattered. Rob got his first drum kit at age 11, which he set up in his dad’s car shop. He learned to play his instrument next to 1,000 horsepower engines, which influences his highly energetic style to this day.

The chemistry between the players in FLAT BLACK is palpable. And while FLAT BLACK’s songs are built to take up real estate in the brains of fans for weeks at a time, the true nature of the band’s material is meant to be experienced live. FLAT BLACK are now ready to hit the road and bring these brutal bangers to the masses live and in the flesh.

“IT’S YOUR LACK OF RESPECT” is one of the first songs that Hook penned and it has a raging, gnarly fire in its belly. With its percussive thrust and shreddy guitars, the song will ignite mosh pits from the first note. Hook states, “The track is blatantly defiant, and includes a live ending, that was recorded live off the floor’ in the studio. As a lead off track, it makes a statement. The song is defiant, which is what rock ‘n’ roll is supposed to be.” Hook adds,”it’s a ‘fuck you’ track with a big chorus.”

The track “JUSTICE” is another metallic anthem, with fast and furious riffs. “The lyric is directed toward anyone that has screwed you over. It’s a ripper that will be a blast to play live,” Hook enthuses.

Elsewhere, “A BIT OF LIGHTNING” was penned right after he parted ways with his previous band. The state of the world at the time, combined with making a major professional shift, took its toll. But it also birthed what could be one of the band’s signature songs. Hook admits, “I was feeling pretty low, and the pandemic wasn’t helping. The lyric is basically me asking for something to turn around sooner than later.”

And with that, FLAT BLACK have arrived and are ready to turn heads.

This album contains no booklet.