I have said it before whenever it shows up in what I review; I just love when bands incorporate organ into their music. It could be on a one off song or a band like Mount Atlas who have Hammond as a lead instrument. That is one of the main reasons I loved the Norwegian band Gjenferd’s self-titled debt record from 2024.
It was one of the surprises of the year for me, landing at number 18 on my AOTY list. It was not just the organ, it was the overall vibe of the record and how they leveraged 70s rock with some more modern stoner to bring forth six killer tracks. The band is now back with album number two, titled Black Smoke Rising, where they continue down the same organ-fuelled path with an even stronger record than the debut, which is saying a lot.
A few things overall about Black Smoke Rising that takes it to the next level. The production and overall sound is a step up. Not much, but just enough to make a difference. The songwriting is even better than the first record. This album has ten tracks compared to six from the first, none of which are skips. There is a step up lyrically as well.
A few things overall about Black Smoke Rising that takes it to the next level. The production and overall sound is a step up. Not much, but just enough to make a difference. The songwriting is even better than the first record. This album has ten tracks compared to six from the first, none of which are skips. There is a step up lyrically as well.
Mostly though, this guy is happy because we get more organ. Right off the bat on Crimson Rain the organ/guitar partnership is on full display, along with the band’s solid understanding of melody, with some harmonized vocals to go with it. Oh, and an organ solo, so, you know, the song is perfect. I don’t want to understate the killer guitar work here on this one either, brought to us by Vegard Bachmann Strand.
Bound To Fail starts from a psych point of view, with some synths, a cool bass line, and swirling guitars. Once it kicks in and Jakob Særvoll hammers that organ, you know this is going to be killer. The rhythm section of Samuel Robson Gardner on bass and Sivert Kleiven Larsen really shine here as well. Gjenferd continues to be catchy as hell, and the vocals really make a difference compared to other bands out there today.
Black Smoke is a perfect example of all of this. There is this like 60s psych thing going on with the slow burn Calling Your Name, which executes quiet-loud-quiet flawlessly. The organ and the guitar meld on this one is so wonderful and the underlying psych bits make this one of my favourite tracks on a record full of them. I love the frantic ending with the ooooohs to go along with it. I love it.
A brief dirge interlude brings us to The Thrill, which is like Leslie West playing in Deep Purple doing a Zeppelin song. This track is hypnotic, dark, heavy, and just killer. Stillferd is an acoustic interlude that breaks up the heavy just for a bit until the guitar/organ attack of The Silence kicks in, and does nothing to live up to its name but does everything to be awesome.
The slow burn shows off the vocal range and when everything kicks in it’s like a tidal wave hitting you, until the sea calms down again, but you know something else is coming. The last two tracks on Black Smoke Rising are the longest, with Ride On being the best song from the 70s that didn’t exist in that time period, and Like Wildfire, driven by keys but incorporating all that makes Gjenferd special.
Gjenferd is a band that seems built for what I love. Deep 70s vibes but brought into the present. A band that understands melody and has all sorts of pop sensibilities while leveraging harmonized vocals. A musically gifted group, especially with the killer guitar work, all driven by organ. Black Smoke Rising has all this plus a darker more enhanced level of songwriting and a band that seems to be operating at the next level. Black Smoke Rising is Gjenferd’s perfect sophomore release. 10/10
Gjenferd is a band that seems built for what I love. Deep 70s vibes but brought into the present. A band that understands melody and has all sorts of pop sensibilities while leveraging harmonized vocals. A musically gifted group, especially with the killer guitar work, all driven by organ. Black Smoke Rising has all this plus a darker more enhanced level of songwriting and a band that seems to be operating at the next level. Black Smoke Rising is Gjenferd’s perfect sophomore release. 10/10