The Black Angels are an American psychedelic rock band from Austin, Texas, formed in 2004. Their dark and melancholic music incorporates elements of shoegaze and garage rock and has among its most explicit influences the compatriot The 13th Floor Elevators and Velvet Underground. The group's own name is taken from the song "The Black Angel's Death Song" from the album The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967).
The band's initial lineup consisted of Alex Maas (vocals, bass, keyboards), Nathan Ryan (bass), Jennifer Raines (keyboards), Christian Bland (guitar) and Stephanie Bailey (drums). With changes over time, Alex, Christian and Stephanie remained the only original members.
Their first album, Passover, was released in 2006 and features the track "Young Men Dead" as a highlight. This was followed by Directions To See a Ghost (2008) and Phosphene Dream (2010), which debuted at number 52 on the Billboard 200.
In their early years, The Black Angels appeared at festivals such as Lollapalooza, SXSW and All Tomorrow's Parties.
The band also released Indigo Meadow (2013) and Death Song (2017) in the 2010s. Taking their longest break from releases, the band released Wilderness of Mirror in 2022.
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