Building Great Expectations: The Amazons – ‘Pitch Black’ Review

Words: Kimmi Naidoo

Just over a month since their last single, The Amazons have already released another. ‘Pitch
Black’ feels like a continuation of ‘Living A Lie’, the band’s previous release and is already
building great expectations for their recently announced album, ‘21st Century Fiction’ which will be released in May next year.

‘Pitch Black’ opens with an almost country-esque guitar riff which leads perfectly into Matt Thomson’s vocals in the verse. There’s an obvious ‘Come Together’ comparison to be made with the sound of the verses, but the song quickly diverts from the Beatles to a gritty and dark chorus paired with some of Matt’s rawest vocals that really show a new level of assurance and courage in the band’s sound. The addition of female backing vocals, once again provided by Ella McRobb add a perfect brightness to a song which is incredibly vulnerable and emotionally confrontational lyrically. One of the best aspects of this song is the way it strips back and then rebuilds after the second chorus, leading to one of Chris Alderton’s most punchy guitar solos. Once again stripping back, the song ends with only an acoustic guitar and the vocals of Matt and Ella, demonstrating just how beautiful their voices pair and how meticulous the harmonies are.

With a song as good as this, it is hard to see how the band have not played it live yet but
easy to imagine how much of an impact it will have with fans when that bass line shakes
venues. From hearing unreleased songs at the band’s shows over the last year to these first
two singles, The Amazons’ new album is already sounding cohesive and carving out the beginning of a story that feels important to both the band and fans alike.