Skindred - Volume

by Daniel King - 11 October 2015

Released: 30th October 2015 via Napalm Records

Benji and the boys are back! Skindred, Wales best metal band, have dropped Volume onto the world and my god they didn't lie when we spoke to them in Nottingham earlier in the year - it's packed full of riffs. Riffs and that classic Skindred personality that had made them one of the UK's most popular bands.

From the opening bars of the first single from the album, Under Attack, you can just feel the direction they're trying to take Skindred. They haven't ditched the reggae undertones that set them apart from other bands, they've just merged them even more subtly with the metal overtones then on previous records. One thing that hasn't changed is the message that is often found within Skindred songs. From Ratrace to Kill The Power there are sentiments either implied or just full on shouted from Skindred tracks. Under Attack continues this trend as the lyrics "Now, if you really want war, you got to be sick" kick start the album in a disappointingly appropriate way, when you consider the world in which we live. Dan Sturgess creates some interesting sounds as DJ and the air raid siren styles that he creates blend in nicely with the huge riffs and Benji's enigmatic vocals.

Title track Volume follows and has a slightly more upbeat message and Benji's vocals after each chorus are comical on the first listen, but after that they kind of become natural. The riffs in Volume are even bigger than Under Attack and the chorus will be sang across the land without doubt. It's a classic Skindred song that wouldn't have been out of place on Roots Rock Riot. The same can be said about the frantic Hit The Ground, although it isn't quite as listener friendly with its more intricate lyrics.

Shut Ya Mouth has a tone similar to the aggressive Warning, except with some much more positive lyrics in it - "Anything you want you'll achieve it, if they tell you don't believe it". As with a lot of heavy music the underlying message is of self belief and perseverance. After the first of three interval tracks The Healing begins packing a strong chorus and a riff that would've been expected on an 80s rock album of some variety. Ending on a clip of Delia Smith shouting "lets be 'avin you" at a confused Carrow Road football crowd is a nice little gem.

Sound The Siren is one of the first tracks on the album to allow the whole band to show off. The powerful bass line mixed with the heavy riff turned up so that Benji's vocals aren't the only thing you focus on mean the attention is spread around nicely. This is ideal as moving onto the sentimental Saying It Now your focus needs to be split. The track is one of few ballads that Skindred have ever written and it is a real treat, especially if you listen to the lyrics. The song focusses on telling loved ones what you want to tell them before it's too late, an important message encapsulated in a quite beautiful package.

Interval number two follows and then Straight Jacket hits you in the face like a freight train. A big, pacey and riff-full song that shows off Benji's abilities and vocal range a treat and contains an incredibly funky bassline. Once the third and final interval has come and gone in a wave of 90s beats No Justice starts to flow. The first track to really bring the reggae influences to the fore, don't worry though, those big riffs are still in there and they remain for the last few tracks. No Justice comes to a close with Benji proudly declaring "That's fucking punk-rock".

Stand Up and Three Words ensure that there is no wasted time on Volume. Stand Up is another of the self-appreciation style, riff fuelled tracks that makes you want to be stood with the band looking down on you as you nod your head in honour of their musical prowess. Three Words is vastly different and a much more chilled out way to close the album. Apparently Skindred now know how to right a bloody good ballad.

So, there it is. In Power, Skindred have pulled out an album that should be good enough to catapult them up the festival line-up and allow them to outgrow the support slots they've been occupying on recent tours. Their headline tour next month will allow them another opportunity to show what they can do and my god can they do it well.

Alex's recommended tracks: Saying It Now, Shut Ya Mouth, Power

For fans of: Welsh reggae-metal obviously?! Aside from that, you'd be hard pushed not to like them.

Can you see these guys in the UK?: Hell yeah you can. They're hitting the UK hard in November:

Skindred - Volume

by Daniel King - 11 October 2015

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