Saturday Night Satan – All Things Black

One Listen Review

1st Listen – 27 Mar 2024
Reviewed – 28 Mar 2024

Made of Stone Recordings

Released 15 Mar 2024 (Digital, 29 Mar 2024 (Physical)

All Things Black by Greek duo Saturday Night Satan opens with a joyously catchy riff. This is important. This means that this debut album is immediate and the intrigue should immediately build within yourself. ‘5AM’ is the title of this opening track and with its fuzzy riff and an insanely sing-a-longable chorus, it opens the album like an old friend giving you the coldest of beers as you enter their house. The riff is warm, the vocals are cosy and you realise that you need to settle yourself in for the ride.

The single most enjoyable aspect of the album is the catchiness of the riffs. More hard rock than heavy metal, Jim Kotsis has provided riff after riff on this album, riffs that get the old head nodding gently as well as furious air-guitar work and frantic head-banging. He also plays bass on the album and the bass-runs in some of the songs utterly embellish the quality of the track, I’m thinking ‘Rule with Fire’ when I say this, a song that prompted me to write ‘RIFF!!!’ and ‘BASS RUN!!!’ in my rather inadequate notes.

Variety is the name of the game on All Things Black. Other tracks feature instruments such as a Theremin (‘Witches Dance’), a flute (Of Love and the Void) and, more traditionally, an electronic

keyboard scattered throughout. All of this fosters the overall feeling of contentment as you listen to the 9 tracks on offer.

Vocally, Kate Soulhorn delivers a strong performance. Perhaps not genre-defining and it never reaches outstanding, but to be fair, her vocals accompany the tracks perfectly. However, it is the riff and general welcoming embrace of the music that is the star on All Things Black.

Whilst this album may not end up on end of year lists, it will definitely loiter in your head as a possibility. Saturday Night Satan have released a debut album that you will return to throughout the year when you want that hint of joy.

When you want to bounce about your living room because nobody can see you, Saturday Night Satan will be there. All Things Black is a thoroughly enjoyable album.

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