Helvetica Outbreak: The best thing that never happened to music!

My housemate and best friend from university came to stay last week, and as we relived the old days it reminded me of a little project we sank quite a few hours into - introducing Helvetica Outbreak, the ultimate drum 'n' bass/metal cross-over that sadly didn't make it!

Equipped with a couple of electric guitars and a macbook with Garageband, we had high ambitions which sadly were never realised. However, looking back on our jamming sessions, it doesn't matter that the music didn't travel much further than our ipods, because we had fun.

The Helvetica Outbreak myspace page still exists, so you can listen to our tracks - let me know if you like them!

Nineteen Eighty Four meets Metalcore!

Check out this awesome music video by As I Lay Dying - combines two of my favourite things: metalcore and dystopia!

The best music video of all-time!

This is officially my new favourite music video! It combines pretty much everything I love - RPGs, video gaming and Christian progressive death metal! Becoming the Archetype, I salute you!

The heavy metal you SHOULD be listening to!

There are a lot of misconceptions regarding music genres, a lot of stereotypes that don't necessarily hold their water. With this in mind, I want to spend a little bit of time considering 'heavy metal', and why Christians shouldn't dismiss it out of hand.

Metal is one of the genres that is generally avoided by the majority of Christians, the assumption being that this style of music is inherently evil, demonic and immoral. While there may be individuals and groups who use metal as a vehicle to oppose God and his statutes, this doesn't make the genre itself sinful. The whole world belongs to God; he created it - and therefore all music belongs to God. It's up to us as the human race to choose whether we use music to praise God or defy Him. With that in mind, any genre can oppose or worship. All sin is equal, meaning that a pop song by Lady Gaga can be just as immoral as a track by Cradle of Filth.

I personally think that heavy metal is very useful form of musical expression for Christians. While I completely agree that metal may not be appropriate for congregational worship, it has certain qualities that align well with the themes and facts of Christianity. Intensity, power and aggression are the words that I would use to sum up heavy metal, all of which are part of being a follower of Christ. The Christian life is one of conflict - Paul speaks in Romans 8 about a war being waged inside him, a war between his sinful nature and God's law. Shouldn't we therefore display this battle in our musical interests, raising a battle-cry against the darkness that seeks to envelope us? We are told in Philippians 4:13 that we "can do everything through him who gives us strength." Does this phrase invoke a whimper in your mind, a tiny pitiful sound? Or would this verse be better displayed by boldness and strength, by the sound of people standing firm, ready to fight?

There are many fantastic bands that speak God's truth through the medium of heavy metal. Through this genre, Christians can talk about their struggle against the sin that snaps at their heels, about living in a world that is in complete opposition to God, and can bring glory to God by highlighting his power, glory and might. With that in mind, here are a few bands defined as 'Christian Metal', that I suggest you should sample.

As I Lay Dying - taking their name from the title of a William Faulkner novel, this metalcore band from San Diego were formed in 2001 and have recently released their fifth studio album, 'The Powerless Rise'. AILD's musical style is a combination of furious guitar riffs and soaring harmonies, breakneck drum beats and varied vocal styles, mixing guttural screams with anthemic melodies. The band's religious beliefs are summed up perfectly in the FAQ on AILD's official webpage when Tim Lambesis states,

If you truly believe something, then it should affect every area of your life. All five of us are Christians. I believe that change should start with me first, and as a result, our lyrics do not come across very “preachy.” Many of our songs are about life, struggles, mistakes, relationships and other issues that don’t fit entirely in the spiritual category. However, all of these topics are written about through my perspective as a christian.

Try this if you like: All That Remains, Trivium

Demon Hunter - combining the speed and intensity of metalcore with industrial rhythms and tones, this Seattle-based band have battled their way into the mainstream US charts, whilst still retaining their uncompromised passion for Jesus Christ. Lyrically, their songs strike out at the fallen state of our world, with tracks like 'Tie This Around Your Neck', from the album 'The World Is A Thorn', highlighting the hopelessness of trying to live without God's power and direction. DH's musical style unites modern technical riffs and licks with classic metal power and swagger, refusing to be defined by cliches or stay stagnant in the past.

Try this if you like: Killswitch Engage, Fear Factory

Becoming the Archetype - if you're looking for progressive heavy metal that glorifies God, then look no further. Hailing from Dacula, Georgia (great town name!), this group push the boundaries of musical skill and experimental praise, displayed best in their reworking of the hymn 'How Great Thou Art' into a death-metal masterpiece. The band's unusual name is taken from the Genesis 1:26, "let us make man in our image," seeing Jesus as the archetypal sinless human who we should strive to emulate. Each of BtA's songs tells a story, with their latest album, 'Dichotomy', focusing on the opposition of biology and technology, of man versus machine.

Try this if you like: Opeth, Chimaira

There are so many other bands that I could have included, such as technical metal band Extol or post-hardcore rockers Underoath, but I just don't have time! If heavy metal is a genre that doesn't turn you on, don't worry, I'm not saying that makes you a bad person. However, what is important is not to limit your tastes in music because of stereotypes. If you like hip-hop or electronica, go and find some Christians who are making it. However, don't think I'm advocating shutting yourself off from secular music and culture - how can you reach the world if you have no connection to it? Hope some of this made sense and that it leads you to listen to some good old-fashioned 'bleeding-from-the-ear drums' heavy metal!

Some musical mini-reviews

As the year draws to a close, I thought I'd provide you with a selection of mini-reviews, summarising my thoughts on a few of the albums I've purchased recently.

As I Lay Dying - Shadows Are Security

The second album from the USA's premier Christian metalcore band, charting their evolution from the raw brutality of their debut album, 'Frail Words Collapse', to a more refined and crafted sonic assault. Although some of the tracks are a little repetitive, AILD still retain their relentless aggression and passion, making this record an effective link in the band's musical progression.

Must-hear tracks: Confined, Empty Hearts

Rating: 3/5

Hurts - Happiness

If melodramatic 80's-inspired electro-pop is what you're after, then this duo from the UK is for you. Hurts debut album features incredibly catchy tunes, crisply recorded instrumentation and innovative yet vintage synths and beats. Pop princess Kylie Minogue also features on the record, giving the experience the authenticity it deserves.

Must-hear tracks: Wonderful Life, Better Than Love

Rating: 5/5

As I Lay Dying - The Powerless Rise

AILD's most recent release, featuring more piercing guitar harmonies, pummeling riffage, unforgiving drum beats and questioning lyrics. Although there are some great melodic sections to be sampled here, the solos let this album down, feeling unoriginal and bland for the most part. Not a bad record overall, but a step back from the perfection of 'An Ocean Between Us'.

Must-hear tracks: The Plague, Upside Down Kingdom

Rating: 4/5

Gypsy and the Cat - Gilgamesh

Another electro-pop duo for you now, but this time hailing from Australia. Possibly too sickly-sweet for some, but hitting the spot for others, this record features the great combination of lyrical ballads and programmed rhythms and tones. Some of the songs point to the band's influences a tad too overtly, but on the whole this a soulful and original album; I challenge you not to sing along.

Must-hear tracks: Time To Wander, The Piper's Song

Rating: 4/5

Demon Hunter - The World Is A Thorn

Christianity and heavy metal may not be a natural combination for some, but for US industrial-thrash veterans Demon Hunter, it's a way of life. This, the band's latest album, continues their no-holds-barred musical rampage, using epic riffs, rapid-fire drums and soaring vocals to spread their uncompromising message. As close to perfection as you can get outside of Heaven.

Must-hear tracks: Collapsing, Tie This Around Your Neck

Rating: 5/5

DJ Fresh - Kryptonite

And finally, some British drum and bass. This album features a mix of straight and swung tracks, as well as some dubstep beats for good measure. Although some of the songs aren't particularly special, there are a few absolute gems to be found here, utilising grimy synth tones, deep bass lines and high-speed drums alongside brilliant vocal performances.

Must-hear tracks: Talkbox, Golddust

Rating: 3/5

That's all for now, have a great New Year!

I have been ever so slightly busy...

The last couple of weeks have been hectic. It was dissertation hand-in time for most people at my uni last week, so both Lauren and myself have been going a bit spare with our academic work. Writing, double-checking, proof-reading, checking again, printing, finding one tiny mistake that means you have to print all over again...you get the picture. But it's over now, both our dissertations are handed in. We've just gotta try to stop thinking about them, or I know we'll find things we could improve.

As well as finishing my dissertation this week I finished a couple of other things as well. I completed Batman: Arkham Asylum the other day, which is a fantastic game. I know what you're thinking: how did he have time to play games when he's got so much work to do? I've relax at some point, or I'll go mad! Anyway it's a great game with an engrossing story, awesome graphics and really fluid controls and gameplay. The voice acting is really good too, especially Mark Hamill's take on The Joker.

I also finished reading Fight Club for my Post-War American Writing unit. What a book. I don't know whether I like it better than the film version, they're both fantastic in their own ways. Chuck Palahniuk, the author, actually said that he thought the film was better than his novel, which I thought was a really humble and honest thing to say. There's a fascinating afterword in the edition I own where he talks about the phenomenon the book created and how he never expected any of it.

Discovered my new favourite metal band the other day; Becoming the Archetype. They're a progressive death-metal band from Atlanta, Georgia; kind of a mix between Killswitch Engage and Opeth. I'm consciously not calling them 'Christian Metal', because I don't believe there should be 'Christian' genres of music. All music belongs to God; whether people acknowledge that with their lyrics is up to them. Let's just say it's metal performed by a group of Christians. I (legally) downloaded their album 'Dichotomy' the other day; it's amazing. The opening track 'Mountain of Souls' thunders powerfully, followed by the epic riffage of the title track, soft keyboards adding extra dimensions to the soundscape. Other songs to look out for are 'Ransom' and the band's cover of the hymn 'How Great Thou Art'; an original and innovative take on a song with truly inspired and worshipful words.

I may have finished my dissertation but that doesn't mean things are any less busy! I'm playing guitar at church tomorrow, so I'll have a very busy Sunday. Then my writing project it due next Thursday, which is almost complete but there's still a fair few things to be done to it. I also have to finish reading Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon by Monday, and I'm at work this afternoon. Phew! And then there's a certain wedding that needs to be planned, although that's all coming together quite well.

And in the midst of all this, Lauren has somehow persuaded me to wait until I've finished ALL my uni work before I play Final Fantasy XIII. I don't think I can wait till the 20th of May! What have I agreed to?!

My top ten metal albums

10. The Black Mages - The Black Mages - What do you get when you combine the genius of Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu and shamelessly cheesy prog-metal? An album of top-quality instrumental tracks exploding with screaming guitar solos and ethereal synths. The track 'Force Your Way', the boss music from Final Fantasy VII, demonstrates why this a must-have for metal and FF fans alike.

9. All That Remains - The Fall of Ideals - Standing out from the plethora of similar metalcore albums, this record contains the perfect mix of raging screams, melodic choruses, technical guitar solos and pummeling drum beats. It's hard to pick a stand-out track, as this album really is all killer and no filler, but I guess I'll have to go with 'It Dwells In Me', because it contains my favourite solo of the record!

8. Reuben - Racecar is Racecar Backwards - This album represents for me a reworking of the 90s grunge style for a new century, containing a messy, raw energy combined with heavy metal brutality. The British trio's best track from this album is 'Let's Stop Hanging Out' in my opinion, a discordant and yet effortlessly catchy tune with an awesome refrain.

7. Sikth - Death of a Dead Day - I almost forgot this album! Technical metal at its best, jazzy discordant licks placed skillfully alongside ferocious metallic double-kick drums and some of the most original vocals of any album. The lead guitar on this record is truly sublime, matching up to the standards of guitar virtuosos like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, and the riffs also follow this pattern. 'Part of the Friction' would have to be my choice for the best track on the album, its incredible intro leading into a great song, filled with superb licks.

6. Trivium - Ascendency - After a period of not listening to metal, this was the album that brought me back to the genre, in particular encouraging me to grab my guitar and learn some brutal riffs! The record bursts at the seams with soaring twin guitar attacks and powerful rhythms, with the song 'The Deceived' being the one that sticks out for me, a brilliant combination of lead guitar and relentless chugging.

5. Enter Shikari - Take to the Skies - The main inspiration for my short-lived band Helvetica Outbreak, this album represents a triumph of originality. The combination of drum 'n' bass beats, dance-inspired synths and crunching riffs is extremely organic, topped off with catchy and memorable lyrics. Once again, there are so many good tracks on this album, but if forced to pick, I'd have to choose 'Return to Energiser', due to its awesome trance breakdown that morphs into a hectic metal beat-down.

4. Pantera - A Vulgar Display of Power - R.I.P. Dimebag Darrell, one the most amazing guitarists of all time, and the creator the brilliant riffs and storming solos from this iconic groove-metal album. There is a Southern States swaggering attitude that exudes from all the songs on this record, a perfect blend of punk savagery and heavy metal furiousness. The track 'Walk' is my definite favourite, having one of the best metal riffs of all time and an epic solo, cementing DBD as one of my major guitar heroes.

3. Deftones - White Pony - One of the first albums I bought during my teenage years, and probably the start of my love affair with the musical genre of metal. Because of this nostalgia I chose this album over its predecessor 'Around the Fur', which is also an exceptional record. There is an eeriness and intensity to all of the Deftones' music, and this album is has some particularly powerful examples of this. My favourite track from this alternative metal classic changes every time I listen to it! At the moment I'd have to say 'Digital Bath' is the one, not only for its weird title but also for the dark, edgy feel and brooding soulful vocals it contains.

2. Fear Factory - Obsolete - Another one of my teenage favourites. This concept album, based around the story of a dystopian future where machines have surpassed mankind (disclaimer: this came out before The Matrix), is an unrelenting industrial assault, with growling vocals and electronic effects to finish of the mix. I think it's the literary connection that makes this album so good for me; the story surrounding the songs is top-notch. 'Edgecrusher' is the best track here, because of its brilliant riff and also because of its subject matter, a dark renegade machine fighting against the evil autocratic government of the future.

1. Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine - We've reached no.1! What a journey. This is my favourite album mainly because of Tom Morello, the band's guitarist. When I started playing guitar, the riffs from this album were incredibly fun to learn and still great to come back to. Morello is a phenomenal player, mixing traditional pentatonic rock with avant-garde solos and effects, pushing guitar playing to the very limits of what it can do. I don't really listen to Rage for the political stuff to be honest, it's all about the music for me. And for the record, I didn't download "Killing in the Name of' for Christmas no.1. What's the point? It's just gonna make the record company more money. Anyway, my favourite track has to be the album opener 'Bombtrack'. Quality riff, takes me back to the days when I used to play bass in my brother's band, rocking the school variety show! Fight the power!

So there you have it, my favourite metal albums. I had to make some difficult choices, excluding some great bands like Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, Gojira, The Mad Capsule Markets and so on, but I'm happy with my final decisions. Feel free to comment, tell me whether you agree or think I've got it horribly wrong!

"Have some of that!"

Only got time for a quick update at the mo, lots and lots of university work to do. Plus it's my church's youth weekend away coming up, so I won't be able to work then. Also I'm playing guitar over the weekend, so lots of practice to do to.

The last couple of weeks can be summed up in one phrase; I'm hooked on the online multiplayer on Uncharted 2! Got the PS3 up and running back down in Portsmouth and discovered the fun of competitive deathmatch. I say the fun, there's also a load of frustration, anger and shame as well! It's a really great game to play against other people. The single-player mechanics have been transfered into the multiplayer aspect of the game really well. But it's much harder than playing against the computer. I'm getting better however, I'm on level 28 or 29 I think. I still have the odd off-game though, where no matter what I do, I get owned repeatedly.

I will not be owned by the game however. So I'm being really strict with myself and not playing the PS3 during the day. No time wasting can be endured! Uni is going well though, got some good marks back recently and my screenplay and writing project are both ticking over. Just gotta keep the momentum up!

Divine Heresy - Bringer of Plagues - Review

Music by Dino Cazares, Tim Yeung and Joe Payne, lyrics by Travis Neal (except lyrics to “The Battle of J. Casey” written by Jason Casey), produced by Logan Mader and Lucas Banker for Dirty Icon Productions and published by Sangreal Music, Inc.

If you’re looking for juggernaut heavy riffs, pugilistic industrial rhythms and howling apocalypse-declaring vocals, then you’ve come to the right place, as Divine Heresy, the brainchild of veteran axe-wielder Dino Cazares, continue to pound out their sonic destruction with solidarity and technical prowess.

Divine Heresy were formed officially in 2006, but the origins of the band began in 2002 when former Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares and former Vital Remains drummer Tim Yeung decided search for a vocalist to work with them on a new musical project. Tommy Cummings was chosen, as was former Nile bassist Joe Payne. And thus Divine Heresy was born, their first album Bleed the Fifth released in 2007, receiving positive reviews and generating an instant following. After an onstage altercation in August 2008, Tommy Cummings was sacked from the band and replaced by Travis Neal, vocalist of The Bereaved. A year later and the melodic death metal group release their second and latest album, Bringer of Plagues.

One might expect a fairly different vocal sound and approach with the change in Divine Heresy’s line-up, but Neal ticks all the same boxes as Cummings did, switching fluidly from aggressive screams to melodic sections and back again. As far as lyrics go Bringer of Plagues follows the apocalyptic religious themes set up in Bleed the Fifth, and aren’t that much to get excited about. However, they fit the dark and desolate tone of the other musical elements of Divine Heresy, and work well with the overall rhythmic feel of the band. The gutturally chanted chorus of “Monolithic Doomsday Devices” (has there ever been a better song title?!) is particularly worthy of mention, working perfectly with the brutality generated by the other instruments.

The riffs of Dino Cazares have always been a straight-forward rhythmic onslaught right from the days of Fear Factory, sprinkled sparingly with melodic sections. While this was never a bad thing at all, it is great to see him embracing more technical ideas in regards to his guitar playing in Divine Heresy. Bringer of Plagues contains some extremely demanding riffs and licks, and not just in regards to their epic speed. The album’s opening track “Facebreaker” in particular contains some fantastic sweep picking in its main riff.

The drumming of Tim Yeung conforms to the same pattern, with sections of pure machine-gun double kick contrasted with more technical ideas and skills. I do find myself slightly cynical when regarding metal drummers nowadays however, as the proliferation of aids such as kick drum triggers allow a moderately competent drummer to sound perfect without good technique. But I will leave this scepticism aside, as I wouldn’t want to accuse Mister Yeung of being anything other than a talented musician.

Joe Payne's bass lines generally follow the guitar riffs, and don’t do much other than that, which isn’t really a bad thing considering the style of music. The overall result is songs that contain drilling riffs at the speed of light, with melodic tones thrown in for good measure. The only break from this rule is the slower ballad-like “Darkness Embedded”, which is as light as Divine Heresy will allow themselves to be; in short, still very heavy!

One could be forgiven for finding that the songs of Bringer of Plagues do have a tendency to blend into one and all feel fairly similar. This would probably only be an issue for music fans not interested in or accustomed to the styles and sounds of industrial death metal. Divine Heresy clearly do not have general commercial appeal in mind with their music, and hence are happy with the specific fanbase they have generated amongst the metal community. It could also be said that Bringer of Plagues does not strike out much further than the band’s first album, sticking to already covered ground. However, when you hit that precise sound you want from your band, you would be foolish to stray away from it unless you were really certain of wanting to take new direction.

While it may not be ground-breakingly different from Bleed the Fifth, Bringer of Plagues by Divine Heresy is a solid second album from a hard-working and passionate band. With their brutal aggression and thundering momentum, this metal-machine has a lot of mileage left in it.

Visit Divine Heresy’s official Myspace page

If you like this, then try: All That Remains, As I Lay Dying, The Bereaved, The Black Dahlia Murder, Chimaira, Fear Factory, Gojira, Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, Machinehead, Nile, Pantera, Slayer, Trivium and Vital Remains.

Sam Richards is no longer M.I.A.

I've been off the radar for quite a while, but I'm back now. It's been a very busy week and a half!

I've been in Portsmouth since Monday, helping at a music academy that my church is putting on. I had to learn four songs for the academy, "Mercy" by Duffy, "When You Were Young" by The Killers, "Stop and Stare" by One Republic and "Hit Me Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears. The last one was an interesting choice, but we've made it quite 'rocky'. I had to spend most of last week working out all the parts and learning them, hence my absence from the blogger-verse. 

We had one guitarist yesterday, who didn't turn up today, and isn't going to come anymore! So I taught the songs to the other guy helping with the teaching, because I'm off home tomorrow and won't be there for the performance on Saturday. It was useful for me to be there anyway, because they needed someone to practice with the kids.

It has been very tiring though; we arrive at 8ish in the morning and finish at 5. Because we have to stay with the kids all day I spend 8 hours a day in the great indoors. I was so glad to get outside at the end of the day!

Bought a new DS game the other day that's really good. It's called Puzzle Quest: Galactrix and it's uber-geeky. Essentially it's Tetris crossed with Star Wars, and therefore, very cool. Also got the new Divine Heresy album, which I will review for you in the not too distant future.

Busy, busy, busy

Hey y'all! Sorry I haven't written anything for a little while. Been quite busy at work and with other stuff. Plus my parent's computer is sloooow at doing anything and we don't have wireless boardband, so posting an update generally involves 10 to 15 minutes for windows to load and then another 10 to 15 minutes for the anti-virus software to stop hogging all the memory and allow the internet to be barely useable. Oh well, could be worse. Could be dial-up.

Dial-up internet was amazing! Of course at the time you didn't have anything compare it with, so you were just happy to have a webpage load, even if it did take an hour. Who can forget the sound of the modem firing up? It was like artoo deetoo having a fit! And then there was the wonderful situation when someone was on the phone and you'd hear them speaking mystically from the back of your computer saying, "yeah... NNNNGHGH yeah, someone's KKKKFGG just turned the flippin' GFHHHJH internet on." Those were the days.

Anyway, steering frantically back on course, here's some stuff I've been up to instead of writing my blog. On Thursday I went back down to Portsmouth for the day to give my student house a final clean before leaving my keys. I severely underestimated how long it would take us. We were there for about 6 hours in total, but we left it spotless. The 'we' I am refering to here is my girlfriend Lauren (we're actually engaged but I always call her my girlfriend, might get in trouble for that), her grandma and myself. Now I know what you're thinking; how could I press-gang a poor elderly woman in cleaning my house? Firstly, she's fairly young and secondly, she offered to help, so... The job would have taken twice as long if she hadn't come, she is a master at cleaning, bless her. Anyway, the job is done now and I'm glad of it.

Yesterday, which was Saturday, I had a band practice with some guys from my church and my job at a certain frozen foods supermarket to take up my time. I decided to organise some music events over the summer with the help of Lauren, because there are a few people who can play well at my church, it's just a case of getting us organised. The practice went really well, considering we only played for an hour and a half, and for the first time in 3 or 4 months! Work wasn't too bad, I do the home delivery driving when they need me to, which gets me out of the shop and into the ghettos! It's not all bad though, I can listen to the tennis in the van, so every cloud...

To finish, just a small mention of the recent passing of Michael Jackson. I'll be brief because I don't have anything too valuable to add what others have already said. I hope his family can find peace at this difficult time and that we will remember him for the music and not the controversy. I wasn't the biggest fan but I still respect him as one of the greatest musicians and performers of our time.

Enter Shikari - Common Dreads - Review

Music by Rou Reynolds, Rory Clewlow, Chris Batten and Rob Rolfe, lyrics by Rou Reynolds, produced by Andy Gray & Enter Shikari and published by Universal Music.

Returning with their new album Common Dreads, the quartet of mates that make up Enter Shikari have continued their brutal sonic attack on conformity. Despite its imperfections the band’s second record pushes the boundaries, a valiant effort worthy of praise.

Hailing from St Albans Enter Shikari were causing a stir in the underground music scene long before they effectively broke through into the mainstream with their first studio album Take To The Skies in 2007. Their innovative brand of electro-hardcore and high-energy performances has brought them a loyal fan-base in Britain and across the globe, blazing the trail for dance and drum ‘n’ bass influenced rock along with other acts such as Pendulum and Innerpartysystem.

Two years have passed since Take To The Skies and Enter Shikari have definitely been busy. As well as touring around the UK and beyond its borders the four lads have been working on their second album, Common Dreads. The process of recording the album could be viewed as a series of videos posted on the band’s website, a testament to how well Enter Shikari have embraced the digital advances and changes that are effecting every area of the entertainment industry. And it is good to see that the boys haven’t just stuck with the tried and tested formula, moving on from the success of their first album and trying new ground for the second.

One of the band’s strongest elements is that they deal in interlocking themes, not isolated ideas. Some of the vocal sections from Common Dreads will be strikingly familiar to fans of band, rousing these followers like a heart-stirring battle cry. Other sections will introduce new themes as the band confronts issues such as war, poverty, social responsibility and the death of community. Rou Reynolds’ lyrics flirt with the boundary between artful poetry and gritty dialect, tossing references to wordsmiths such as William Blake into his charming melodies and guttural screams.

As Enter Shikari are a crossover act in essence there are many influences that can be seen within Common Dreads. The rising anthemic beats and keyboards of trance can be found in tracks like ‘Hectic’ and ‘Gap In The Fence’. Grimy drum ‘n’ bass hooks and rhythms resound throughout the ‘Havoc’ instrumental tracks and also within the song ‘Wall’. Over these styles the pummelling riffs of punk and metal carve out their crunching destruction, setting Enter Shikari apart as an aggressive musical force. Also thrown into the mix are some quirky swung sections in ‘Zzzonked’ and ‘The Jester’, shaking up the format and showing the group as striving for originality.

The main flaw that can be found in Common Dreads however is that the focus seems to have been placed on the electronic side of the band’s sound, leaving the real instruments feeling slightly weak. Although the synth parts and processed beats have obviously been honed to perfection, its seems that this has been at the expense of the other musical elements. Rory Clewlows’ guitars are sometimes lost in the mix, not quite hammering through like they did on Take To The Skies, and the accompanying kick-drum rhythms don’t punch as crisply as they could. However, the fact that the band’s sound has changed since the last album is definitely a good thing. Although in my opinion some of the inherent power has been lost in Enter Shikari’s newest offering, it would be unforgivable if they hadn’t changed at all.

This imperfection does not however spoil the overall effect that Common Dreads has. The whole album flows together well, with each song strengthening those that follow and precede it. Creating anthems that contain brutality counter pointed with the ethereal is what Enter Shikari do best, shown in the albums strongest tracks; the thundering single ‘Juggernauts’ and the catchy breakneck tune that is ‘No Sleep Tonight’. It is obvious that the band has enjoyed themselves immensely in forging this new collection for their avid followers.

Aside from the slight lack of strength and definition earlier identified, Common Dreads is an album that works very well and is a formidable companion to Enter Shikari’s previous album. The artwork and presentation of the CD is well-honed and adds to the sense of connection and conviction that runs throughout energetic assault of Common Dreads. The four members of Enter Shikari have faced the horrific ‘dread’ of the second album, and they have fared incredibly well where others and fallen and failed.

If you like this, then try: DJ Hype, Faithless, High Contrast, Incubus, Innerpartysystem, Killswitch Engage, Linkin Park, The Mad Capsule Markets, Muse, The Prodigy, Pendulum, Shy Child.

Visit Enter Shikari's official website