Review by Ritchie Birnie for MPM
Is there a two piece band that sounds as huge as Royal Blood? The boys have dug into their past for a heavy, fast paced album that is outstanding.
Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher return with album number five and they have laid down 10 stunning tracks that are fast, furious and loaded with every trick they have discovered over the last 15 years and mixed it with the energy of the debut.
The release opens with the title track and there is anger oozing from it. The lyrics are spat out and the instruments are beaten into submission whilst holding down a constant and very enjoyable rhythm.
With a title like “Swallow the Bomb” you can expect some kind of fireworks and boy do you get them. This is 70s punk, the metronomic drums and bass with those fuzzy guitars make for a song that ends far too soon.
On “10 Over 10” we have a bastard union of Motorhead and Sabbath and yes it comes out just as good as that mental picture portrays. The track sounds massive, chunky and catchy in equal measures.
There is no letup as we burst into the intro for “Mother Never Told You”. This song is a perfect reflection of a Royal Blood live show, full of energy, attitude and ferocious playing.
That well known bass sound greets you on “No Where all Along”. This is Iggy Pop with an adrenaline shot. It is sultry, ass kicking and pure fuzzy enjoyment.
The guitar intro of “Ride” is like a road bike flying out of control. It has an 80s Judas Priest feel before it settles into a teenagers sneer and it could not care if you liked it or not.
“Rear View Mirror” sounds like it is going to burst into a Rock opera as it opens but it turns into a whole other beast. This was the standout for me. It was the perfect mix of guitar, bass and drums that want to beat the hell out of you.
The brakes initially come off on “Take em All”. Everything is slowed down, The fuzz is more noticeable and Mike really focuses on the vocal delivery and maybe a little thieving is done from Alice Cooper as he turns to his inner voice.
“Tapping Out” does what it says on the tin as it goes for the killer punch. I can imagine every track of this album on The Lost Boys soundtrack and I can even imagine the cast singing it as the song has that type of vibe.
Aptly named final track “The Closer” is the albums radio friendly number that your non Rock\ Metal fans may be found to be tapping their feet along too. It does not have the urgency of what has went before but it is a fantastic change of pace. The breakdown will have you thinking of a hammer house of horror movie or if not familiar early Sabbath. It wonders through a graveyard at midnight and it leaves you waiting for a jump scare.
Royal Blood are hard to pin down. They have enough of what you love from the Rock world but it is their uniqueness that makes them special. The fact it is only two members and you really cannot hear it, the fuzzy brilliance and the fact that they do things that other bands cannot.
“Dead Company” hits just as hard as that debut did back in 2014 but the band have grown and this is shown in the songwriting and the right here, right now stamp of aggression you hear throughout. Royal Blood are at the top of their game so check this out immediately and make sure you catch them live in the UK at the end of the month.
SOLD OUT UK TOUR DATES
November
24th – The Prospect Building, Bristol
25th – O2 City Hall, Newcastle
27th – O2 Apollo,Manchester
28th – Barrowland,Glasgow
29th – Barrowland, Glasgow
December
2nd – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
4th – Brighton Centre, Brighton
Album and ticket bundles available now: https://www.banquetrecords.com/…/circuit%2C-6…/RB041226
