Doncha just hate it when a band that you like puts out a suckass side project? Yeah, rock history has seen many failed side-projects, but there have been some exceptions, like Love and Rockets. Black Ice is a side project of Phantom Limbs, the whirling-dervish deathrock outfit from Oakland. Take note: while Black Ice sound NOTHING like Phantom Limbs, they DO NOT SUCK ASS. 

Whereas The Phantom Limbs specialize in sensory – and soundboard – overdrive, Black Ice create a slow and spacious deathrock sound not unlike those experimental moments at the opening of “Bela Lugoi’s Dead.” Evocative and patient, Black Ice are in league with the monsters under your bed. They entrance you. They misplace your car keys. They steal your socks.  They play around with nifty studio effects! They use broken organs, wine glasses, piano wire, water faucets, and all sorts of found sounds. Hopefully, these folks will bless us with some shadowplay on film, because this music would make for a better project than The Limbs’ disappointing tour video, “The Early Years.” I’m jealous of those west coasters who’ve seen Black Ice live, since side projects like this seldom stray too far on their own. Black Ice would, however, make for an economical and totally wonderful opening act for Phantom Limbs. 

Old school deathrock fans, those who covet artifacts from the height of 80s gloom like so many delicate skeletal remains, should sweep on over to http://www.thephantomlimbs.com/blackice/home/home.shtml and order a copy.  A split 7” with Sister Mary Shoelace has been slated late fall 2002, and a full length will appear in 2003. Until then, this four song EP is your sole source for a sneak peak at one of the brave, new deathrock outfits. Like everything by keyboard maestro, Stevenson Sedgwick, you’ll want to get on in this early.  

Black Ice are: 
Miss Kel (vocals)
Stevenson Sedgewick (keyboards, etc.)
Skot 

Black Ice live also include: 
Mister Brown and Melanie X. 

Black Ice EP song list: 
Severed 
Rat
Departure
No
Excuse

Website: http://www.thephantomlimbs.com/blackice/home/home.shtml 

On mp3: http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/366/black_ice1.html

10/12/02