After a long silence, punctuated by fans expressing their fears that the often-volatile relationship between band members had finally ended the group for good, The Black Crowes have come back with a vengeance with Warpaint, their first studio album in seven years.

The Crowes came onto the scene in 1990 to critical acclaim, with their debut album Shake Your Money Maker, and their blatant 1970s southern-barroom-rock throwback style has always set them apart from other acts and helped to cultivate their intensely devoted following.

The hostile relationship between lead singer Chris Robinson and his brother/guitar player Rich has also helped to perpetuate their persona, similar to that of The Kinks or Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis, but has nearly led to a break-up several times over the years. However, it seems that the boys have put their differences behind them for now and collaborated to create a soulful, blues-driven album for the ages.

The album is classic Crowes at their best, with a mixture of heavy ’60s and ’70s rock, blues and gospel elements, which combine to create a style reminiscent of The Rolling Stones, Joe Walsh and Led Zeppelin. However, the album is not as over-the-top as you would expect from The Stones or Zeppelin.

The organic feel meshes well with the soulful and introspective lyrics on most of the record. Some of the songs can become a bit repetitive in themselves, but overall, the record bridges many emotions, moods and styles. Although there is an overarching theme to the album, the songs don’t seem to run into one another. Warpaint is a record about longing, soul-searching and finding yourself, and it definitely hits its mark.

The album opens with “Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution,” a song with upbeat guitars and a chorus you can sing along to, but with deep lyrics that are meant to inspire change. The fantastic mix of country and blues with heavy rock guitar makes for a great beginning to the record.

“God’s Got It,” is a wonderful exemplar of The Crowes’ gospel influences. The song would definitely not be out of place at a Sunday church service, but it would also fit perfectly at a rock concert. It is more upbeat than many of the others on the record, and seems to signify an answer to the soul-searching that is mentioned in the other songs. It is an inspirational sing-along, with lyrics like “Well if it’s a friend, God’s got it, he’s got everything that you need,” and will definitely have you singing and clapping along by the end.

The major ballad on the record, “Oh Josephine,” is also a definite hit and reminiscent of Robinson’s emotion-filled “She Talks to Angels” from their debut album. There is a strong country influence to the song, and Robinson’s drawling, raspy voice fits the raw emotions perfectly.

But the major success of the record comes with “Wee Who See the Deep,” which flawlessly combines heavy, psychedelic elements and organic blues piano and guitar. The song opens with the ominous message, “Put forever in your mind, let go of space and time.” Robinson takes his vocals to a stronger, more intensified place that complements the harsh social and political commentary that is implied throughout the song.

Although the album can occasionally swing a bit too far into the country-music realm, on the whole, it is a fantastic record filled with soulful yet hard-rocking songs. It seems that The Black Crowes still have the uniquely expressive talent that gave them their start almost two decades ago, and Warpaint is a fantastic way to reintroduce them after the long time they spent unheard.