Skindred – “Big Tings”
4th May 2018 0 By Gavin GriffithsItâs been nearly 20 years since Newport’s favorite raga-metal sons SKINDRED emerged out of the ashes of DUB WAR, and in that period of time theyâve fought tooth and nail to get where they are today; one of the UKâs if not one of the worldâs most entertaining and consistent live bands. Things didnât always go to plan as is rock ânâ rollâŠas their debut album âBabylonâ faced several reissues due to record label complications, but ever since theyâve grown and grown, with both their sound and their front-man Benji Webbe becoming equally iconic in the world of rock and metal. 2018 seeâs these raga-punks from Pill release album number seven via Napalm Records; âBig TingsââŠhow big are we talking then boys? Letâs find outâŠ
We open up with the title track and truth be told, what theyâve done here as it turns out, is get the weakest track out of the way immediately. It plods along with a slow, methodical pace using minimal instrumentation, although the chorus is a bold one and while itâs got a pleasantly melodic bridge, Â the track as a whole lacks any real spark and doesnât instill a great deal of excitement going forward. Luckily for us we follow up with recent single âThatâs My Jamâ and the album just comes to life. Itâs heavy on the bass, itâs got their classic reggae tones, the hooks and the rhythm make this track absolutely huge; here we have Skindred on top form at their infectious best, this song is impossible to not like, honestly itâs catchy as fuck, well done boyoâs!
As if this wasnât enough recent single âMachineâ roars into life right away and again, utilizing some slick riffs and solid groove theyâve delivered yet another brilliantly enjoyable tuneâŠheavier on the guitar and overall rock tone, with its classic elements, gang vocals and sweet solo, this is next-level stuffâŠadd to that an appearance from REEF front-man Gary Stringer and youâve got yourself another big, big song. It has to be said the rest of the album is generally very strong and consistent in its approachâŠâTell Meâ, despite its mellow, ambient opening sequence, still harbors a melodic, infectious chorus, which balances the tracks hushed vibe, very much a dreamscape sort of effort, whereas âAliveâ revisits the bands early heritage of dub and electronica to brilliant effect, seriously PENDULUM would be jealous of this shit! Finally then, and continuing with the diversity on offer here, we close on âSaying It NowââŠa wonderfully sweet, sentimental acoustic track of love, loss and captivating charm straight from the heart and rarely do you find Skindred so endearing, itâs honestly a beautiful track and it ends the album perfectly. The Newport posse promised âBig Tingsâ this time around itâs safe to say theyâve delivered and then someâŠexpect âBig Tingsâ to be in several Top 10âs come the end of 2018, well done lads you fucking smashed it!
Score: 9/10
Track List:
- “Big Tings”
- “That’s My Jam”
- “Machine”
- “Last Chance”
- “Tell Me”
- “Loud And Clear”
- “Alive”
- “All The Time”
- “Broken Glass”
- “Saying It Now”
Record Label:
Napalm Records
Release Date:
April 27thFor all things Skindred, click HERE and to purchase the album, click HERE
About the author
Gavin Griffiths AKA GavTheGothicChav 31 Based In South Wales Favourite Bands: HIM, The 69 Eyes, Paradise Lost, CKY, Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, Type-O-Negative, Turbonegro, Depeche Mode... Enjoys: Pizza, Jack Daniel's, Comedy Roasts, WWE, Horror Movies, Sloths, Panda's, Eurovision Dislikes: The Concept Of Being "Offended", Hype, Instrumental Tracks, Interludes, Overly Long Tracks