Black Charger Premiere “Welcome” Video; Debut Album Small Town Out Oct. 31
German heavy rockers Black Charger will release their debut album, Small Town, on Halloween (Oct. 31) through Clostridium Records and Broken Music. If you’ve been keeping up with the trio formed circa 2020, since January 2024 they’ve been posting tracks one at a time, and each of those songs — “Liquor Store,” “Gimme a Gun,” “Small Town,” “Grey,” “Sound Outside,” “Walk With Me” and now “Welcome” (premiering in the video below) — will be assembled with the few remaining yet to be revealed to make a 10-song/41-minute run. Most of that time is spent heralding an oldschool stoner rock revival already clearly in progress, as Osnabrück-based guitarist/vocalist Christian, drummer Uli and bassist Stephan dig into turn-of-the-century style fuzz bolstered by modern low end placement in the mix and a tonal crux that feels in “Welcome” as much relevant to what Slomosa have come to spearhead as “Snakedance” seems to call out to Brant Bjork and “Gimme a Gun” finds the line where Kyuss meets Queens of the Stone Age.
You’re right, these are pointedly not new ideas, but if you think back about 20 years to when heavy ’70s retroism began to take shape with vintage stylization — almost entirely in Europe — I can’t help but wonder if a song like “Small Town” isn’t aligned to a new retro ideology. Black Charger are older, so don’t have the next-generational advantage of the aforementioned Slomosa, but it’s easy to hear similar inspiration behind their work from the roots of Kyuss-era formative desert rock riffing. Even “Liquor Store,” which opens by pushing the low fuzz forward and making it shuffle a bit, and the more spacious closer “Red Picture With Horses,” echoing out across a broader and lightly cosmic reach, feed into this methodology, and the sense of purpose 
behind Black Charger‘s debut — however long it may have taken for it to come together — is resonant across the span. The songs are expressive without tipping into self-indulgence or navelgazing, and a well-placed energetic kick like “Super Ego” exists fluidly next to a mellower highlight like the prior single “Walk With Me” at the same time the penultimate “Snakedance” reminds of Spidergawd building tension and the brash “Grey” earlier on calls to mind Black Rainbows, so while their love of ’90s/’00s underground heavy is a defining characteristic of this first album, already it’s not the only one.
This is good news for Black Charger over the longer term, as “Gimme a Gun”‘s deserty tilt is bolstered by the crash in the subsequent “Grey,” and it would seem to be indicative generally of the band knowing what they want to do sound-wise, as opposed to riffing out and seeing what sticks. Having a plan in mind is nothing to hold against them, however, even if the inherent tradeoff of all that intention — oodles of it — means they’re playing somewhat to style, or perhaps more generously, with it. Small Town, as both a title and a listening experience, comes across as understated or somewhat humble, and Black Charger even at their most fervent still harness a mellower overtone to tie the songs together while never quite doing the same thing twice. Honestly, regardless of sound or style or aesthetic considerations, that would be enough for an impressive first LP. That Black Charger come out of the ‘gate’ — aside from the singles, there are no preceding releases — fostering more complex ideas and manifestations speaks to growth to be undertaken. As a starting point for what may come, the potential in their craft is noteworthy in the now. That’s also where all the groove lives for the time being, so it’s the place to be. Rockers take note.
The video for “Welcome” is pretty straight-ahead. You’ll see the band in black and white playing to shifting patterns on a green-screen, as well as some desert footage — Kyuss heads (I know you’re out there) will nod knowingly at the upward-facing shot from under a windmill — and enough fuzz that when the party stops you wonder when the next song’s gonna start. I guess that’s where this being the seventh single comes in handy as you spend the rest of your afternoon loafing around Black Charger‘s Bandcamp page, which of course you’ll find linked below.
PR wire info (including live dates) follows the premiere. Please enjoy;
Black Charger, “Welcome” video premiere
Black Charger stand for uncompromising stoner rock with clear roots in the 1990s – influenced by genre greats such as Kyuss, Fu Manchu and Brant Bjork.
With “Small Town”, Black Charger present their first complete studio album. It brings together ten songs that reflect the band’s range both musically and thematically: from personal recollections of growing up in the small town of Bramsche to reflections on power structures, existential pressure and the myth of the origins of stoner rock in the Californian desert.
The trio from Osnabrück – consisting of Christian (guitar, vocals), Stephan (bass) and Uli (drums) – combines powerful guitar riffs with distinctive grooves and a high dynamic. Their sound is immediate, earthy and energetic, driven by a deep understanding of the genre and a clear focus on authenticity.
The album was produced together with Role at Tonmeisterei Oldenburg, whose reputation for authentic, analog sound aesthetics fits perfectly with the raw and direct sound of Black Charger.
“Small Town” will be released as a limited vinyl edition (300 copies):
200 copies on safari brown/orange marbled vinyl
100 copies on classic black vinyl
Tracklisting:
1. Liquor Store
2. Gimme a Gun
3. Grey
4. Small Town
5. Sound Outside
6. Walk With Me
7. Super Ego
8. Welcome
9. Snakedance
10. Red Picture With Horses
Black Charger live:
Oct 9 Kulturwerk Herford Herford, Germany
Oct 11 saal brandhove Telgte, Germany
Oct 18 Gaststätte Zum Güterbahnhof Lippstadt, Germany
Nov 1 Backyard Club Recklinghausen, Germany
Nov 8 Bocksmauer Osnabrück, Germany
Nov 22 Jam Club Koblenz, Germany
Jan 9 Griether Hanselädchen Kleve, Germany
Jan 10 Steinbruch Weiler zum Stein Leutenbach, Germany
Jan 13 C-keller Weimar, Germany
Jan 16 B52 Music Club Eernegem, Belgium
Jan 17 Werk°Stadt Witten, Germany
Feb 7 Galerie Fango Cottbus, Germany
Black Charger:
Christian – guitar, vocals
Stephan – bass
Uli – drums
Black Charger, “Walk With Me”
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Tags: Black Charger, Black Charger Small Town, Broken Music, Clostridium Records, Germany, Osnabrück, Small Town
