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artist: Black Sites
title: For Eternity
year: 2026
genre: Metal
type: Album
label: Independent
language: English
rel. date: 2026-07-17
source: WEB/MP3
quality: CBR 320kbps / 44.1 kHz / Joint Stereo
runtime: 00:44:08
size: 101.2 MiB / 8 tracks
rip date: 2026-07-17
source url: https://open.qobuz.com/album/eldx70tsztsy1
tracklist:
01. When It Calls 5:09
02. Aquarius Betrayed 5:05
03. Above Soil Beneath Sky 4:47
04. Giving up the Ghost 6:43
05. Blades (For the Chosen Ones) 4:51
06. Silent Wars 4:51
07. When Prophecy Fails 5:49
08. Unanswered for Eternity 6:54
release notes:
Musicians gravitate towards styles that often capture modest attention in
those formative adolescent / teenage years of development. For
Chicago-area guitarist/vocalist Mark Sugar, his passion for 90s-oriented
gothic, heavy rock, and thrash influences morphs into a darker,
heavy/progressive metal template in the discography delivered to date
since arriving on the scene in the mid-2010's through Black Sites. The
fifth studio album For Eternity represents a massive shift in terms of
the lineup - José Salazar rejoins on bass, while second guitarist Lee
Smith and drummer Chris Black round out the current quartet of players.
The sound still has this down tuned, driving propulsion full of
adventurous parts, molded in a very catchy, constructive manner which
allows the listener to dive deep into those crevices to unearth plenty of
vocal / musical earworms.
The atmosphere of specific parts for "Above Soil, Beneath Sky" takes on
classic Black Sabbath doom riffs and surrounds the arrangement with
mysterious clean embellishment or thunderous, progressive transitions
which recall classic Rush, King's X, Iron Maiden, or even the left-field
strangeness of Voivod - Mark's vocal delivery robust in key uplifting
call / response passages. The drumming from Chris Black will move
listeners much like those who live for the work of Cozy Powell or Reed
Mullin during their prime years - check out his massive groove foundation
to softer taps on mid-album highlight "Giving Up the Ghost", where the
exotic lead break will take listeners on another auxiliary journey. At
other times, progressive riffs tantalize in this aural dance where larger
guitar bends or mystical clean supplementation swoop into the mix - where
90s Ozzy, Megadeth, and King's X come together as one on the stirring
"Blades (For the Chosen Ones)".
Themes on the record run the gamut from social/political frustration at
the hands of current versus previous generational outlooks, UFO cults
from the past, all the way through to a celebration of this music we've
all come to know and love. Mark also has a co-producer in Chris Black who
really pulled out the best performances in these tracks - often seeking
out ideal vocal harmonies, guitar layers, or bass/drum interplay which
serve each song best. Those little details entertain followers not just
on the initial exposure, but grab people in a visceral manner months to
years down the line - be it in more of a crushing rhythm assault next to
haunting gothic melodies portrayed for "When Prophecy Fails" or the
subtle creepiness slowly evolving from the early strains of opener "When
It Calls".
For Eternity opens a new chapter for Black Sites - one very encouraging
to see unfold, as the obvious seasoned experience these musicians possess
can go in many diverse directions across the numerous styles intertwined
within. This is US metal with plenty of heart, well-equipped to capture a
host of people seeking out something a little different that's darker,
melodic, hook-oriented yet progressive all the same.