Skindred // Kill The Power
Skindred are one of those bands who refuse to be pigeonholed and their fifth album is no different. More polished and produced than previous releases, 'Kill The Power' is still full of their signature rasta-metal stylings.
Skindred are one of those bands who refuse to be pigeonholed and their fifth album is no different. More polished and produced than previous releases, 'Kill The Power' is still full of their signature rasta-metal stylings.
After 16 years, the UK five-piece are at the forefront of their genre, blending rhythmical metal with frontman Benji's reggae background, producing something others have tried but not quite perfected. The opening titular track acts as an in-your-face reminder of what they do best, almost a metal call-to-arms.
Combining personal and political agendas in its shout-along chorus, "You can't kill the power!" it sums up everything this band are about. 'Ruling Force' and 'Worlds On Fire' are more classic Skindred, while 'Playing With The Devil' utilises their new DJ with dubstep bass drops, forming a wall of sound behind Benji's vocals. Making sure they stay firmly out of that pigeonhole, 'Ninja' includes an 8-bit break, like some kind of heavy metal Nintendo. The album also features their first acoustic track, 'More Fire', dancing close to the edge of pop, which might not be to every fan's taste.
After nearly two decades together, Skindred have become a band that know what they're doing and do it well, but still aren't complacent; they won't sit on their laurels churning out the same stuff for their fan base. While die hard fans might want something more unrefined and wild, akin to their earlier records, no one can fault the quality and raw energy of 'Kill The Power'. Besides, no matter how consummate their recordings, their reputation for unpredictable and riotous live shows still stands, and these new tracks are going to go down a storm.
Lenore
