SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS – SHAPES OF MIDNIGHT

UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS
SHAPES OF MIDNIGHT
KILLER CANDY RECORDS

Uncle Acid is back at it, this time with a throwback to earlier tones and writing styles that Uncle Acid fans came to know and love from their first three albums. This one hits!

Shapes of Midnight is certainly a departure from their last release, Nell’ Ora Blu (2024), a full-blown concept album that was basically the audio version of an Italian horror thriller in a film noir style. Uncle Acid went back to the drawing board, crafting and delivering eight solid tracks that are sure to keep the hardcore fans happy. And I absolutely love the old-school 8-song format, noting that some of the best classic rock / metal albums were 10 songs or less.

Touching on the standout tracks, this album starts out strong with “House by the Grave,” an eerie, straight-ahead, mid-tempo fuzz rocker with Kevin Starr’s unmistakable high-tenor, cult-leader stylings. The guitar work during the solo is world-class, with some serious yet tasteful shredding going on. Killer Sabbath-esque riffs and next-level heavy drums really bring this track home as one of the choice cuts.

One thing that stands out right away on this release is the studio production, which has been bumped up a notch from their original eight-track basement stylings of old. This album is properly mixed!

The title track, “Shapes of Midnight,” is a true masterpiece of the psych/doom rock genre. From the opening ’70s headbanger riff, you’re instantly taken in. After the second chorus, the band throws us into this halftime buildup to an incredible mini opus that stands alone as the best part of the track, then, a galloping, chugging section leads into a beautifully melodic harmony guitar solo. Hints of vintage Maiden here. Love it!

It’s important to note at this stage that there is no filler on this release.

“Psycho on the Loose” jumps out immediately with its ’80s synth intro, coupled with super heady guitars and killer leads. I’m loving this vibe all the way! This one’s an epic 5:10 in length and goes hard from the outset.

Closing out the album is “Sleep No More,” a beautiful, eerie slow burn where the band saved one of the best tracks for last. This track is heavy in sound and lyrical content, with the ominous declaration that “a night of terror shall begin,” painting a rather bleak picture for the protagonist of the story. This track tells the macabre tale of someone’s eventual demise. This song ends with what sounds like a sonic séance. What a killer way to end a truly masterful release.

It’s inspiring to see Uncle Acid getting back to their roots and releasing something a bit more straightforward in the doom-fuzz arena. Although the last concept album was well executed, it certainly wasn’t an album I could flip on and jam to.

Shapes of Midnight absolutely kills – heavy, fuzzy, dirty and truly, the unfiltered Uncle Acid experience.

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