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Blackfield

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Blackfield (disambiguation).
For the English village, see Blackfield, Hampshire.

Blackfield
Background information
OriginHemel Hempstead, England
Ramat Gan, Israel
Genres
Years active2001–present
Labels
MembersAviv Geffen
Steven Wilson
Tomer Z
Eran Mitelman
Omri Agmon
Hadar Green
Past membersChris Maitland
Daniel Salomon
Seffy Efrati

Blackfield is a collaborative music project by the English musician and founder of Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson, and Israeli rock musician Aviv Geffen. Together, six albums have been released under the moniker. The first two records, Blackfield and Blackfield II, saw Geffen and Wilson working together as equal partners, while the third and fourth, Welcome to my DNA and Blackfield IV, saw Geffen take on a leading role, writing all but one track across both albums and providing a significantly increased share of lead vocals. Despite initially announcing his intention to leave the project in 2014, Wilson instead worked again as an equal partner on a fifth album, Blackfield V, which was released on 10 February 2017. A sixth record, For the Music, was released on 4 December 2020, with Geffen again taking a leading role.

History

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First collaborative era

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Blackfield I (2000–2005)

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Geffen, a fan of Porcupine Tree and Wilson, invited the band to play shows in Israel in 2000. He struck up a friendship with Wilson, leading to the two musicians recording together. Geffen performed backing vocals on two tracks on Porcupine Tree's In Absentia album, "The Sound of Muzak" and "Prodigal". Geffen, interested in growing a fanbase outside of Israel, approached Wilson about starting their own project, which would become Blackfield. Originally planned as an EP for a 2001 release, it eventually evolved into a 2004 self-titled full-length recording.[6] Wilson provided lead vocals on all but two songs, and played guitar or piano on every song except "Scars", which had instrumentation provided by Geffen's band "The Mistakes.”[7]

Outside of Israel, the band has received constant comparison to Porcupine Tree, Wilson's most popular project. In response, Wilson has explained:

...Porcupine Tree would never be so focused on the art of a 3 minute pop song, which I believe. Blackfield is all about the art of a great tradition pop song of verse-chorus-verse-chorus. Porcupine Tree has never been about that, although we have fraternized a little bit with the art of pop music. Porcupine Tree has always been more about horizontally complex long pieces and the album is an overall piece rather than lots of little pieces... Aviv is not a big fan of heavy music and he is not a big fan of long pieces so immediately the meeting point had to be somewhere where we were both focused on short melancholic songs.[8]

In early 2004, the band debuted live on a couple of promotional TV performances in Israel. This line-up featured drummer Chris Maitland (drummer of Porcupine Tree from 1993 to 2002), who was replaced by Tomer Zidkyahu for a European tour that followed in the autumn of 2004. Their first self-titled album was released in Israel and Europe in 2004, and the United States in 2005.

Blackfield II (2006–2008)

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While the band's first album was created over a relatively long period of time, the follow-up album, Blackfield II, was created in one short burst of activity.[9] Wilson and Geffen worked on their respective projects throughout the end of 2005, but in early 2006 Wilson moved to Israel for six months to work on the album.[9] Wilson performed lead or co-vocals on all tracks except "Miss U", which Geffen performed all vocals on.[10] The album was released in February 2007 in Europe and March 2007 in the United States. In the same year, keyboardist Daniel Salomon left the band to continue his successful solo career. Salomon was replaced by Eran Mitelman, former keyboardist for Israeli hard rock band HaYehudim. The band also recorded a live CD/DVD combo, titled Blackfield – Live in New York City while touring in support of Blackfield II, in March 2007.[11]

In a 2008 interview, Wilson discussed Blackfield's future at the time, stating, "I think we're going to tentatively start working on some new songs and that's as far as we've got regarding planning. I think there almost certainly will be another record. As with No-Man and my other projects, there's no reason to stop doing them as long as the music keeps flowing."[12]

Geffen-led era

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Welcome to my DNA (2009–2011)

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In January 2009, to promote his first English-language European release, Geffen went on a small tour of Europe with the Blackfield live band, with Wilson being billed as a special guest. Half of the set consisted of songs from the then yet-to-be-released first English language solo album by Geffen, while the rest was a selection of Blackfield songs. Wilson would also appear on three tracks from the album.

In April 2010, Geffen and Wilson entered the studio to begin writing the follow-up to Blackfield II.[13] However, this time, all songs, with the exception of the track "Waving", were written by Geffen, as Wilson had been concentrating on his second solo album, Grace for Drowning, at the same time.[14][15] Wilson only performed lead vocals on five of the eleven tracks, but provided backing or co-vocals on several other tracks. Their third album, Welcome to my DNA, was released on 28 March 2011[16] and supported by a European and North American tour following a kickoff concert in Israel.[17][non-primary source needed] However, several concert dates were cancelled due to the death of Wilson's father in May 2011.[18][19]

Blackfield IV (2012–2014)

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After touring for Welcome to my DNA was completed, Wilson confirmed that with Blackfield, like the majority of his other projects, he himself had no particular plans for the future, but the project was not necessarily over either.[20] However, in January 2012, Geffen announced his intentions to release a fourth Blackfield album by May 2012.[21][22] This prompted Wilson to announce that his role would continue to lessen, with Wilson acting only as a contributor and mixer. Wilson said of the band's future:

...just to clarify news elsewhere of a new Blackfield album coming this year – please note that this time my involvement will be as a contributor rather than a member. I will still be mixing the album, and maybe sing on a couple of Aviv’s songs (there will be other guest singers I understand), but with my complete blessing Blackfield is now under his sole curatorship, a process which really began with Welcome to My DNA"[21][23]

Wilson later said that it was his own idea for Geffen to take over the project, because he wanted to concentrate on his solo career and Porcupine Tree in 2012 and 2013, while Geffen wanted to do another Blackfield album right away in 2012, and he felt guilty about holding him back.[15]

On 29 and 30 January, both Geffen and Wilson were in the studio working on vocals and guitar for the then-untitled fourth album.[24][25] Wilson stated that he would contribute lead vocals to only one song, but was also contributing "a bunch of guitar parts" and "arranging backing vocals".[15] Despite his lessened role, he said that he was "protective of the Blackfield legacy", and that the next album would "still sound like a quintessential Blackfield album."[15] One of the guest vocalists that Wilson had mentioned before was Vincent Cavanagh of the band Anathema.[26] On 14 June 2012, Geffen announced he was in the final mixing stages of the album with Wilson.[27] In a September 2012 interview with Discord Magazine, Wilson reiterated his stance with Blackfield, stating:

I won’t say producing [the fourth album], I am only helping [Geffen], a bit of singing, guitar, mixing whatever it takes but I am not going to tour, it'll be too much, I'll kill myself, would just run myself to the ground. I won't tour Blackfield anymore but I will do anything to keep the name going...I just don't think that writing the kind of style that Blackfield make is where I am at right now.[28]

At the end of November 2012, Geffen said he was aiming for an April 2013 release.[29] Wilson reiterated that he sang and played guitar on several tracks, but "much less than before", that Geffen was able to get "a bunch of great singers to contribute to the record, some of whom are quite well known", and that the album would be the first that Geffen would consent to be mixed for surround sound.[30]

On 25 February 2013, Wilson released his third solo album, The Raven That Refused to Sing, of which some copies contained a compilation sampler disc of music made by artists on the record label Kscope; one track was a new Blackfield song, "Pills", taken from the forthcoming album.[31][32] On 9 June 2013, it was announced that the album would be titled Blackfield IV, and its release date would be 26 August 2013.[33] Blackfield toured in support of the album in February 2014,[34] with Wilson being present for all performances.[35][non-primary source needed] On 29 January 2014, Wilson announced his intention to quit the band after the European tour, due to his increasingly tight schedule with his solo career and upcoming projects.[36]

Second collaborative era

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Blackfield V (2015–2018)

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In January 2015, it was announced that Geffen and Alan Parsons were recording and performing together for a future Blackfield album.[37] Despite Wilson's comments alluding to leaving the band in 2014, he was seen in recording sessions with Geffen and Parsons in June 2015[38][non-primary source needed] and June 2016.[39][non-primary source needed][40] In August 2016, album details were officially announced, revealing the official album title – Blackfield V, its artwork, and that it would see a return to the collaborative approach between Wilson and Geffen taken for the first two Blackfield records.[40] The album was initially scheduled for release on 18 November 2016,[41] but was later delayed to 10 February 2017. On 8 December 2016 "Family Man", "How Was Your Ride?" and "Sorrys", the second, third and fifth songs from the album, were released.

On 28 June 2018, Steven Wilson announced the compilation album "Open Mind - The Best of Blackfield" on his Instagram.[42] The album was released in September 2018.[43]

Warner Records era

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For the Music (2019–present)

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On 13 May 2019, a picture of Geffen and Wilson working in a recording studio was posted on the band's Facebook page with the caption "Blackfield 6th, recording session, here we go again !"[44] In July 2020, Geffen signed to Warner Records.[45][46] After announcing his signing with Warner, on 24 July Blackfield released the first single, “Summer's Gone”, from their upcoming sixth album For the Music,[47] followed by a second track “Under My Skin” on 2 October. For the Music was released worldwide on 4 December 2020. The album saw Geffen once again taking a leading role, with Wilson only providing lead vocals on three tracks.

Musical style and influences

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Geffen has described the band's sounds as

"I don't think it's prog really, it's...very melodic...but it's not prog. I don't allow Steven to play more than two-minute solos. He respects that. Blackfield is everything, it's metal, it's prog, it's pop. Blackfield sounds so special because it's a really odd collaboration. I'm not coming from the prog scene, I'm coming from the indie rock, pop scene."[48]

Geffen states that while he enjoys mixing different musical sounds, he refuses to incorporate rap music into the band's sound, stating "I hate hip hop...We won't do a shitty pop song."[48] Influences for the band include Jim Morrison, Radiohead, King Crimson, Genesis, and Pink Floyd.[48]

Cross-overs

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There has been some overlap between Blackfield and Geffen and Wilson's other projects. The songs "Scars," "Cloudy Now," "Glow," "1,000 People," "Epidemic," "End of the World," "Zigota" and "Garden of Sin" had originally been written by Geffen in Hebrew before being translated into English and adapted by Blackfield. On the other hand, the song "Christenings" was originally conceived during Wilson's writing sessions for Porcupine Tree's 2005 release Deadwing, but was released on Blackfield II instead. Additionally, the track "Feel So Low", off of Porcupine Tree's 2000 release Lightbulb Sun, was re-recorded by Blackfield and added to the LP version of Blackfield's first album.[7] In this version, Geffen sings the first verse in Hebrew.

Live, Blackfield has performed Porcupine Tree's "Waiting" and "Feel So Low", as well as covering Alanis Morissette's "Thank U," which Wilson had previously recorded solo for his own cover version compilation album.[11]

Comments from other musicians

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Some musicians have cited them as an influence, such as Dial,[49] while others have expressed admiration for their work including Jordan Rudess,[50] Arne "Lanvall" Stockhammer of Edenbridge,[51] Nick Barrett of Pendragon, Thrawn of Secrets of the Moon,[52] and Dean Marsh of Gandalf's Fist.[53]

Musicians

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Current members

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  • Steven Wilson – vocals, guitar, keyboards (2001–present)
  • Aviv Geffen – vocals, keyboards, guitar (2001–present)
  • Tomer Z – drums, percussion (2004–present)
  • Eran Mitelman – piano, keyboards (2007–present)
  • Omri Agmon – guitar (2017–present)
  • Hadar Green – bass guitar (2017–present)

Former members

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Discography

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Studio albums

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Year Title Peak chart positions
BEL
(Fl)
[54] 		BEL
(Wa)
[55] 		FRA
[56] 		FIN
[57] 		NLD
[58] 		SWI
[59] 		POL
[60] 		UK
[61][62]
2004 Blackfield
  • Date: January 2004
  • Label: Helicon, Snapper
 — — — — — — — —
2007 Blackfield II
  • Date: 13 February 2007
  • Label: Atlantic/We Put Out
 — — — — 78 — 19 —
2011 Welcome to My DNA
  • Date: 28 March 2011
  • Label: Kscope
 — 100 185 47 31 64 10 139
2013 Blackfield IV
  • Date: 26 August 2013
  • Label: Kscope
 98 47 65 — 28 74 8 95
2017 Blackfield V
  • Date: 10 February 2017
  • Label: Kscope
 115 118 155
[63] 		43
[64] 		16 48 16 54
2020 For the Music
  • Date: 4 December 2020
  • Label: Warner Music Group
 – – – – – – – –
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

DVDs

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Year Title Peak chart positions
NLD
[65]
2007 Live in New York City
  • Date: 6 November 2007
  • Label: Snapper
 30

Singles

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  • 2003: "Hello"
  • 2003: "Pain"
  • 2004: "Blackfield"
  • 2004: "Cloudy Now"
  • 2007: "Once"
  • 2007: "Miss U"
  • 2007: "My Gift of Silence"
  • 2011: "Waving"
  • 2013: "Jupiter"[66]
  • 2014: "Sense of Insanity"
  • 2020: "Summer's Gone"
  • 2020: "Under My Skin"

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Music Reviews, Features, Essays, News, Columns, Blogs, MP3s and Videos". PopMatters.
  2. ^ "Blackfield reviews, music, news". Sputnikmusic. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  3. ^ a b "CD Blackfield – IV, BACKGROUND MAGAZINE Review". Backgroundmagazine.nl. Archived from the original on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  4. ^ Bland, Benjamin (15 August 2017). "Album Review: Steven Wilson - To the Bone / Releases / Releases // Drowned In Sound". Drownedinsound.com. Archived from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  5. ^ Adam Greenberg. "Blackfield II – Blackfield | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  6. ^ "Blackfield Biography". Starpulse.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  7. ^ a b Mikesell, Michael. "Blackfield: self-titled". PopMatters. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  8. ^ Alex McCann. "Porcupine Tree – Interview @ Designer Magazine". Designermagazine.tripod.com. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Blackfield Biography". Poprockbands.com. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Cd & Dvd Reviews". DPRP. 9 March 2007. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  11. ^ a b Conaton, Chris. "Blackfield: Live in New York City". PopMatters. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  12. ^ "No-Man – Positive momentum". Innerviews. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  13. ^ "Israeli rocker Aviv Geffen conquers Berlin – Haaretz Diary Newspaper". Haaretz. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  14. ^ "Review: "Blackfield: Welcome To My DNA" – Sea of Tranquility – The Web Destination for Progressive Music!". Sea of Tranquility. 29 April 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  15. ^ a b c d "Steven Wilson – Art as a mirror". Innerviews. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  16. ^ "Steven Wilson". Burningshed.com. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  17. ^ "Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  18. ^ "Porcupine Tree Frontman Steven Wilson Cancels Several Blackfield Shows Due To Family Death". SMNnews.com. 24 May 2011. Archived from the original on 15 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  19. ^ "Blackfield.org". Blackfield.org. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  20. ^ "Steven Wilson, The Progressive Music Legend, Talks To Stereoboard About His Solo Work (Interview P2)". Stereoboard. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  21. ^ a b "– Porcupine Tree/Steven Wilson Resource " New Blackfield album to be released in May 2012!". Starsdie.com. 3 January 2012. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
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  23. ^ "Steven Wilson opts out for new Blackfield album | DPRP News Blog". Dprp.net. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  24. ^ "– Porcupine Tree/Steven Wilson Resource " Steven Wilson & Aviv Geffen will be in the studio for Blackfield IV tomorrow!". Starsdie.com. 28 January 2012. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  25. ^ Blackfield [@blackfieldband] (30 January 2012). "second day at Steven's studio we're doing some guitars and vocals,sounds promising" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  26. ^ "– Porcupine Tree/Steven Wilson Resource " Steven Wilson & Aviv Geffen working with Anathema's Vincent Cavanagh on Blackfield IV!". Starsdie.com. 31 January 2012. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  27. ^ Blackfield [@blackfieldband] (14 June 2012). "To all our Blackfield fans just came back from mixing the new album with Steven,sounds great! will get you some more details soon Aviv" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  28. ^ "Steven Wilson: The Definitive Interview". Discordmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  29. ^ Blackfield [@blackfieldband] (20 November 2012). "BF4 should be out around April,sounds really good and Steven worked on 5.1 mix as well..more details to follow pretty soon A" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  30. ^ "Steven Wilson – Past presence". Innerviews. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  31. ^ Reviews, Media (25 July 2013). "All Media Reviews: Blackfield – Blackfield IV (2013)". Allmediareviews.blogspot.com. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  32. ^ "– Porcupine Tree/Steven Wilson Resource " Blackfield return with 'Pills' taken from 'Blackfield IV'". Starsdie.com. 3 March 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  33. ^ "Kscope". Burningshed.com. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  34. ^ "First show of Blackfield's 2014 tour announced | Blackfield – Official Website". Blackfieldmusic.com. 21 November 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  35. ^ "Blackfield – Uploads vanaf je telefoon". Facebook. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  36. ^ Wilson, Steven (29 January 2014). "Blackfield European tour remainder". StevenWilsonHQ. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  37. ^ Shechnik, Raz (31 January 2015). "The Alan Parsons and Aviv Geffen project". Ynetnews. Yedioth Internet. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  38. ^ "Blackfield – Alan Parsons,Steven WIlson & Aviv Geffen.... | Facebook". facebook.com. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  39. ^ "Blackfield – Too many hours in the studio.. – Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  40. ^ a b "Steven Wilson confirms Blackfield V date". 9 September 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  41. ^ "Blackfield reveal details on fifth album – The Prog Report". 31 August 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  42. ^ "@stevenwilsonhq on Instagram". Instagram. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  43. ^ Author martin (15 August 2018). "Review – Blackfield – Open Mind – The Best of Blackfield – by Progradar – Progradar". Progradar.org. Retrieved 27 May 2020. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  44. ^ "Blackfield - Blackfield 6th, recording session, here we go..." Facebook.com. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  45. ^ "עולה ליגה: אביב גפן הוחתם בלייבל הבינלאומי". סרוגים (in Hebrew). 23 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  46. ^ "Aviv Geffen on Instagram: "So proud signing to Warner! Thanks for your trust!"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  47. ^ "Summer's Gone". YouTube. 23 July 2020. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021.
  48. ^ a b c "Aviv Geffen on inspirations, why he restricts Wilson's solos and his hatred for hip hop". Terrorizer. 12 April 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  49. ^ van Poorten, Toine (October 2007). "Dial Interview". SonicCathedral.com. Netherlands (published 3 November 2007). Archived from the original on 9 December 2007. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  50. ^ "Dream theater". Heavymusic.free.fr. Lille, France. 13 October 2005. Archived from the original on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2017. [...] j'aime beaucoup l'album de Blackfield. [...] (I love the album of Blackfield)
  51. ^ Belafatti, Marco (29 August 2010). "Edenbridge (Lanvall)". Spaziorock. Archived from the original on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2017. At the moment I love bands like Blackfield, [...]
  52. ^ "Secrets of the Moon Interview". Frostkamp.wordpress.com (published 5 August 2008). 2004. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2017. [...] My actual favourite is Blackfields first album!
  53. ^ "Interviews". GandalfsFist.com. 2016. Archived from the original on 17 November 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  54. ^ "Blackfield discography". ultratop.be/nl/. Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
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  57. ^ "Blackfield discography". finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  58. ^ Steffen Hung. "Dutch Charts – dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  59. ^ "Blackfield discography". hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  60. ^ Peak chart positions for studio albums in Poland:
  61. ^ "cluk/130907cluk". zobbel.de. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  62. ^ "cluk/110409cluk". zobbel.de. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  63. ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes – SNEP (Week 7, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  64. ^ "Albumit 7/2017 – Suomen virallinen lista – Musiikkituottajat". Ifpi.fi. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  65. ^ Steffen Hung. "Dutch Charts – dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  66. ^ "Blackfield Release Video For New Song "Jupiter" – Bloody Disgusting!". 25 July 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
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