Black Widow (In This Moment album)

Black Widow
Studio album by In This Moment
Released November 17, 2014
Recorded 2014
Genre Industrial metal,[1] gothic metal,[2] alternative metal,[3] electronic metal[3]
Length 60:05
Label Atlantic Records
Producer Kevin Churko
In This Moment chronology
Blood at the Orpheum
(2014)		 Black Widow
(2014)		 Rise of the Blood Legion - Greatest Hits (Chapter 1)
Singles from Black Widow
  1. "Sick Like Me"
    Released: September 9, 2014
  2. "Big Bad Wolf"
    Released: October 21, 2014
  3. "Sex Metal Barbie"
    Released: November 4, 2014
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[4]

Black Widow is the fifth studio album by the American metal band In This Moment. It was released by Atlantic Records on November 17, 2014. This marks the band's major label debut and first release away from long time label Century Media Records.

Background and new label

After the success of their 2012 album Blood and a headline tour, In This Moment announced that they were returning to the studio at the end February 2014 to begin working on a follow-up. Lead guitarist Chris Howorth told Billboard that they were again teaming up with long-time collaborator Kevin Churko, who has produced the band's previous records and that the sound will continue with the same style as Blood. On their new evolved sound he remarked, "We feel like we found something and want to stick the flag in the ground on top of that hill."[5] It was reported on February 5 that the band had signed with Atlantic Records.[6] Frontwoman Maria Brink said of the new deal, "We are very excited to be releasing this album through Atlantic Records, who have put out some of the greatest and most revered albums of all time."[7]

Album and songs

It was revealed on September 6, 2014 through the band's social media pages that new album details would be announced the following week. A redesign of the band's logo featured an image of a black widow, in line with the new album. On September 8, the first single, "Sick Like Me" premiered on Sirius Satellite Radio and was released to iTunes at midnight. The album's title was announced along with a headlining tour, which began in late October. Brink revealed the title is a metaphor for positive and negative life experiences and turning weaknesses into strength. She says, "This innocent young girl who gets infected with life, traumas, experiences, and the balance of light and darkness. She becomes this poised and powerful creature."[8]

The album was made available for pre-order on iTunes on October 14 while the second single, "Big Bad Wolf", was released on October 21. Leaving little time in between, "Bloody Creature Poster Girl" was quickly released as a promotional single on October 27 and "Sex Metal Barbie", the third single, was released on November 4, reaching number 18 on iTunes, the highest position of an In This Moment song to date. Even before being released as the album's second single, "Big Bad Wolf" started to reach rotation and being played in most of the rock and metal radios; debuting into the top 100.

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "The Infection"  Maria Brink, Kevin Churko, Chris Howorth 1:49
2. "Sex Metal Barbie"  Brink, Churko, Howorth 4:22
3. "Big Bad Wolf"  Brink, Churko, Howorth 5:12
4. "Dirty Pretty"  Brink, Churko, Howorth 4:07
5. "Black Widow"  Brink, Churko, Howorth 4:58
6. "Sexual Hallucination" (featuring Brent Smith of Shinedown)Brink, Churko, Howorth 6:18
7. "Sick Like Me"  Brink, Churko, Howorth, Mitchell Ray Marlow 5:00
8. "Bloody Creature Poster Girl"  Brink, Kane Churko, Churko, Howorth 4:20
9. "The Fighter"  Brink, Howorth, Churko, Nick Helbling a.k.a. Nikka Bling, Michael Spadoni 4:52
10. "Bones"  Brink, Churko, Churko, Howorth 4:30
11. "Natural Born Sinner"  Brink, Churko, Howorth 5:09
12. "Into the Darkness"  Brink, Churko, Howorth 2:52
13. "Out of Hell"  Brink, Churko, Howorth 6:34
Total length:
 60:03
Best Buy/Japan bonus tracks[9]
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
14. "Turn You"  Brink, Churko, Howorth 5:27
15. "Rib Cage"  Brink, Churko, Howorth 5:06
Total length:
 70:36
Deluxe digital bonus tracks
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
14. "Sick Like Me (Motionless in White Remix)"  Brink, Churko, Howorth, Marlow 5:38
15. "Big Bad Wolf (Dr. Ozi Remix)"  Brink, Churko, Howorth 4:22
Total length:
 70:59

Commercial reception

Black Widow debuted in the US Billboard 200 charts at #8 with sales of 36,000. This marks the highest chart entry in the history of the band.[10] By June 2015, the album had sold 120,000 copies.[11]

Personnel

In This Moment
Additional personnel
  • Brent Smith – additional vocals on "Sexual Hallucination"
  • Kevin Churko – producer, recording, mixing, and mastering
  • Nick Helbling a.k.a. Nikka Bling – additional programming and co-writing on "The Fighter"
  • Marcel Szczypka – additional programming
  • Michael Spadoni – piano for "The Fighter"

Charts

Chart (2014) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[12] 89
Billboard 200[13] 8
UK Rock Albums Chart[14] 7
UK Albums Chart[15] 81

References

  1. ↑ Price, Johnny. "ALBUM REVIEW: IN THIS MOMENT – BLACK WIDOW". Rockrevoltmagazine. Retrieved May 11, 2015. The band continues its fusion of industrial and metal and pushes the envelope even further than they did on Blood.
  2. ↑ Monger, James Christopher. "Black Widow - In This Moment". AllMusic. Retrieved May 9, 2015. Recorded at Churko's own Hideout Studios in Sin City, the Atlantic Records-issued 13-track collection doubles down on the group's penchant for crafting muscular, yet always melodious metalcore-kissed slabs of Lacuna Coil-esque American goth-metal...
  3. 1 2 Leoffler, Shawn. "IN THIS MOMENT – BLACK WIDOW (2014) REVIEW".
  4. ↑ "In This Moment - Black Widow Review". Heavymetal.about.com. Retrieved 2015-06-17.
  5. ↑ "In This Moment Begin Work on 'Blood' Follow-Up: 'We Want to Be Very Powerful Next Time'". Billboard. Billboard.com. February 4, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  6. ↑ "In This Moment signs with Atlantic". Blabbermouth. Billboard.net. February 5, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  7. ↑ "In This Moment unleashes Black Widow". Market Wired. MarketWired.com. September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  8. ↑ "In This Moment Releases "Sick Like Me" Official Video – Performing At Bogart’s On 11/25". Cincy Groove. cincygroove.com. October 20, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
  9. ↑ "In This Moment - Black Widow Only @ Best Buy CD". Best Buy. Bestbuy.com. October 27, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
  10. ↑ "IN THIS MOMENT's 'Black Widow' Cracks U.S. Top 10". November 26, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Metal by Numbers 6/18: Tremonti on top". Metalinsider.net. Retrieved 2015-06-18.
  12. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (November 23, 2014). "One Direction Four Is ARIA No 1 Album". Noise11. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  13. ↑ "In This Moment Ascend to Top 10 With "BLACK WIDOW"; Hard Rock Titans' Atlantic Records Debut Explodes Onto SoundScan/Billboard 200 at #8; First Single, "Sick Like Me," Rising Fast at Active Rock; "'The Noise' Presents In This Moment's 'BLACK WIDOW' TOUR"". Yahoo!. November 26, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  14. ↑ Official Charts Company, UK (November 23, 2014). "Top 40 UK Rock Album Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  15. ↑ Official Charts Company, UK (November 23, 2014). "Top 100 UK Album Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
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