Now regular readers will know that nu metal stalwarts Skindred are somewhat out of my wheelhouse - but I've decided to cover them regardless simply because I'm kind of curious. As I dug into their new record Volume I was charmed by how weird these guys can get whilst sticking pretty strictly to a nu metal sound. There is a rather distinct artistry to what Skindred are doing here, and while yeah it's not for me, and yeah it sounds exactly how you'd expect a band formed in 1998 to sound at this point in their career there is something strangely endearing about this record.
The songwriting overall is very tight and allows for some exciting diverse moments. It's nicely distributed so as to never come on too strong but rather lightly dazzle you with moments of almost Faith No More like madness. The vocal lines are surprisingly powerful, giving an anthemic power to songs like No Justice. You can tell that Skindred are trying to write songs that will resonate with the masses and maybe even score that radio hit. That being said - they do it well, and the poppy hooks nicely contrast the general sense of youthful rebellion communicated by the record. What I'm trying to say is that Skindred continue to build on their legend and it makes for a very good time.
What more can I say? Nu Metal is back in full force and in some ways you have to admire it. This bastard son that no one wants to accept is strangely potent, even in 2015. With Rage Against The Machine riffs balancing against My Chemical Romance choruses Skindred have been able to create a tasteful balance that rarely flies too far off the rails. Momentarily weird and overall a good time, one would be hard pressed to find real complaints about this record - and maybe, just maybe, Skindred are up for a new life.
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https://www.facebook.com/skindredofficial
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