At a point where the weight and claustrophobia of the raw end of the grunge sound crashes into the more melodic end of the technical metal spectrum, you find Black Note Graffiti. Where the former tended to exult passion over prowess and the latter deliver deftness over emotion, this Ann Arborean quartet manage to circle that square with ease and play to both sides of that particular musical divide.
Such is Art is a powerful slab of evolving music, building from simple visceral riffs laying out anticipation and sign posting the way to a spectacular crescendo, through brooding minimalism to its inevitable intense play out. If the current metal scene seems dominated by screamo caterwauling and showboating solos that seem unrelated to the song, then Black Note Graffiti are probably the answer. If you miss the gloom and dark glamour of goth before it turned into a cyber-fetish scene…again these are you guys. If you feel the angst and vitriol of grunge is a thing of the past…. well, you get the picture.
