One of many bands who broke up only to return not that long after, Black Spiders are set to release their fifth album, Cvrses, sounding bigger and better than ever.
Black Spiders – Cvrses
Release Date: 28 April 2025
Words: Paul Hutchings
A band tipped for great things after debut Sons Of The North in 2011, it maybe has not quite gone to plan for the Sheffield outfit. However, their re-emergence in 2020 with new drummer Wyatt Wendels has already produced two albums, the most recent being 2023’s Can’t Die, Won’t Die. 
If you are familiar with Black Spiders sound, then Cvrses is not going to change what you already know about them. Fifteen tracks race by in under 50 minutes, and every track features memorable hooks and choruses in traditional style. There is plenty of melody, with the rich vocals of Pete Spiby as always requiring a special mention.
If it is a hard rock anthem that you want, then Black Spiders are your band. From the opening driving pace of Never Enough, with Wendel’s propulsive drumming powering the band forward, through to the final song, Lil Death, which has vibrant punkish overtones, Cvrses rarely eases up.
Now, Black Spiders are not going to bring you blood and guts, not at all. This is music which is safe, conservative, and likely to appeal to the same fans as before. They are solid, dependable, and thoroughly enjoyable. At this time in their career, deviating from the formula is not something that they are likely to consider.
And yet, having said that, there is a maturity to the songs here that stands ahead of much of their previous work. Yes, the humour is still here, in the little skits that pad out the album in places. The Castille De La Roja skit is humorous, raising a smile before the band launch into Dia De Muertos.
They have always been able to write a good sing-along song, and Cvrses is crammed full of them. Never Enough is surely the opening track for their forthcoming tour, whilst the pulsating Sorry Not Sorry is sure to have fans in great voice when it hits live.
There is more fun with Tom Petty’s Lips, to raise the odd smile, and who can blame them for adding a touch that gets you smiling? A tribute in many forms to one of the rock world’s fallen heroes, you cannot help but nod along to it from start to finish.
No Superman brings the riffs and more hooks than a hatstand, alongside a melancholic feel that is not always present in their music. This one is big and bold, benefiting from a slick and clear production.
And then there’s the heroic vibe of The Mofo Sauce, which comes towards the end of the album and which sees the band upping their tempo once more in true Black Spiders throwaway style.
At a recent Steelhouse festival, I overheard two punters describing Black Spiders as a very good pub band, and I would struggle to argue with that. They are fun live, but would you reach for Cvrses as a listen?
Well, whilst their previous output did not grab me like that, there is something a bit cooler and catchier here, and that is enough to command multiple, thoroughly enjoyable listens.
Throw in the epic Rotten To The Core, the penultimate song on this release and probably the best track here, and the Black Spiders have hit a new level overall. They will not take the world by storm, but if you want to spend a good 50 minutes listening to well-performed hard rock, you will do far worse than get a blast of Cvrses.
Cvrses is out on Dark Riders Label Via Cargo Distribution on 28 February 2025. For more details, visit www.blackspidersband.com.
“As long as that drive is in the tank, we will keep going,” Pete Spiby says, “because that’s what we need to do.” Catch Black Spiders live in 2025 this April.
