Origin: Chicago, Illinois, USA  
Genres: Hard Rock, Traditional Metal
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Page online: November 2, 2016
Last update/review: December 7, 2023

High Spirits

Chris Black is one of Chicago's busiest metal musicians, fronting or contributing to a variety of bands that, for the most part, don't really resemble each other. High Spirits is truly a Chris Black solo project, as he plays all instruments as well as sings on all of the studio albums, while roping in friends and locals for live work. As heard on the critically-acclaimed You Are Here, the style is a rather intriguing brand of semi-retro hard rock-laced metal. Terms like "catchy" and "melodic" usually aren't complimentary for a metal band, and yet while they are quite apropos here, somehow High Spirits simply don't invoke the negative vibes that those descriptions would normally entail. The songs are simplistic yet not boring, familiar and yet quite unique. It's really quite an accomplishment (and again, quite different from the other bands that Black is involved with, with the semi-exception of Aktor who sometimes sound similar). Nicely done.

Recent album: Safe On The Other Side, released on November 17, 2023.

Current Members

Chris Black

vocals/all instruments (Aktor, ex-Dawnbringer, ex-Nachtmystium, Pharaoh, Superchrist)



Discography



High Spirits  COMPILATION
2009
  1. Torture
  2. Night After Night
  3. Wanted Dead
  4. I Need to Know
  5. Wings of Fire / Don't Look Down
  6. Never Going Back
  7. Midnight Lady
  8. Calling Out to You
  9. Set Me Free
  10. High Spirits



Another Night  
2011
  1. Another Night in the City
  2. Do You Remember
  3. Full Power
  4. Demons at the Door
  5. I'll Be Back
  6. You Make Love Impossible
  7. Where Did I Go Wrong
  8. Nights in Black
  9. Going Up
  • Chris Black



2013  EP
2013
  1. One Last Chance
  2. Be My Shelter
  3. Full Power
  4. If I'm Gone
  5. When the Lights Go Down
  6. Midnight Sun
  • Chris Black



You Are Here  
2014 Hell's Headbangers
  1. When the Lights Go Down
  2. I Need Your Love
  3. One Thousand Nights
  4. Reminding You of Me
  5. The Last Night
  6. Can You Hear Me
  7. Gone to Pieces
  8. I Will Run
  9. High Spirits
  • Chris Black



Official Bootleg  COMPILATION
2015
  1. High Spirits
  2. Full Power
  3. This Is the Night
  4. When the Lights Go Down
  5. I Need Your Love
  6. Wanted Dead
  7. I Need to Know
  8. Reminding You of Me
  9. Another Night in the City
  10. Midnight Sun
  11. This Is the Night (Demo)



Motivator  
2016 High Roller
  1. Up and Overture
  2. Flying High
  3. This Is the Night
  4. Reach for the Glory
  5. Do You Wanna Be Famous
  6. Haunted by Love
  7. Down the Endless Road
  8. Take Me Home
  9. Thank You
  • Chris Black



Night Rock  EP
2017
  1. Up and Overture
  2. Flying High
  3. This Is the Night
  4. Reach for the Glory
  5. Do You Wanna Be Famous
  6. Haunted by Love
  7. Down the Endless Road
  8. Take Me Home
  9. Thank You
  • Chris Black



Escape!  EP
2017
  1. Escape
  2. Stagefright
  3. Feels Like Rock and Roll
  4. Lonely Nights
  • Chris Black



Hard To Stop  
2020 High Roller
  • Chris Black



Safe On The Other Side  
2023 High Roller
  1. In the Moonlight
  2. Til the End of Time
  3. Lonely Nights
  4. One Day Closer
  5. Anything You Need
  6. (There Will Be) Magic Tonight
  7. Loving You
  8. Please Don’t Leave Me Behind
  9. Memories
  10. Good Night
  • Chris Black




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