Artist – Skindred
Release – Kill The Power
Release Date – 27th January 2014
Everyone’s favourite Welsh ragga-metallers are back for their fifth studio album, ‘Kill The Power’. Returning with their eclectic blend of metal, dub, reggae and dance that has been whipping audiences into a frenzy for over fifteen years at their critically acclaimed live shows, this is most definitely a varied listen.
Things start as they mean to go on with the title track, a tasty hip-hop synth drum beat that drops into a chunky metal riff before building up into a big old chorus refrain that is just begging to be sung back by an audience. This is something that reappears throughout the album, with more than one track featuring a variant on a ‘woah-oh’ group vocal or a big, anthemic chorus.
Skindred‘s biggest strength is their ability to seamlessly blend many, often disparate musical genres and elements together without the end results being a jumble of un-listenable asswater. ‘Ninja’ is driven by a big rock riff but features samples from Arthur Brown and the Karate Kid, as well as a breakdown that sounds just like an 8-bit video game soundtrack. ‘The Kids Are Right Now’ switches things up with a melodic, stripped down psuedo-ballad with emotive lyrics intercut with an electronic synth section, and is arguably the most focused and self contained song on the album.
‘Playing With The Devil’ is densely layered, flicking between rocky guitar driven sections, a rolling reggae beat and the occasional dubstep flourish. ‘Saturday’ is part playlist fodder, with a punky, upbeat vibe and a sing-along chorus that has an unashamedly good time vibe. ‘Proceed With Caution’ is a thrasy, high speed romp that is definitely the heaviest song on the album, before the ‘dred wrap things up with closer ‘More Fire’, a mellow, melodic tune with harp sounds that seems like an odd fit compared to the rest of the album, but will leave you smiling.
Despite a few hiccups, such as a mix that at times has the vocals dwarfing everything else, and a few songs seeming as if they go on for too long and lose momentum, or try to do too much with too many different musical styles and tools, this is a quality album. It is incredibly varied, relentlessly energetic, deeply groovy and overall a timely reminder of just why Skindred have been doing what they do for as long as they have. Get it in your ears.
8/10
Reviewer – Jay Hampshire
