Black Box Revelation

The band, formed in 2005 in Dilbeek, Belgium, briefly went by the name Thickfreakness. Not entirely coincidentally, it was also the title of the American duo The Black Keys' second album, released in 2003, which immediately reveals one of the young Belgian duo's major influences. Jan Paternoster (vocals/guitar) and Dries Van Dijck (drums) developed in just a few years into a band that made a big impression internationally with their razor-sharp combination of blues and garage rock.

Jan Paternoster and Dries Van Dijck previously played in the band The Mighty Generators. An adventure intended as a solo project by Dries Van Dijck evolved into Black Box Revelation. In their very first year, they achieved second place in the Brussels Championship. The duo also made waves at Humo's Rock Rally and StuBru (Studio Brussels), which played their first songs. In 2007, they released their debut album, Set Your Head On Fire. That same year, the band appeared on the bill for the Dour Festival and Pukkelpop.

The debut album was noticed as far away as America, leading to a tour there in 2008. A year later, they also performed extensively in Europe, with bands like Anouk and Eagles of Death Metal, while festivals like Rock Werchter and Pukkelpop were sold out. The story continued perfectly in 2010 with the album Silver Threats. Their third album, My Perception, was recorded in America with producer Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, PJ Harvey, Chris Cornell, Arctic Monkeys, Them Crooked Vultures, among others). The song "Madhouse" from this album appeared in the hit TV series Californication.

In the years that followed, Black Box Revelation remained one of the most successful Belgian rock bands, thanks in part to the 2018 album "Tattooed Smiles," featuring guest appearances from Roméo Elvis and blues veteran Seasick Steve. The album was followed by another tour of clubs and festivals, where Black Box Revelation consistently lived up to its rock-solid live reputation. Their sixth album, "Poetic Rivals," was released in March 2023.