Reviews

Take to the Skies

Enter Shikari

Released: Oct 30, 2007
Label: Interscope
Reviewed by: Wade Rice
6 comments

Though England's Enter Shikari has gained a great reputation in Europe and across the world, the quartet has yet to tackle the still major-label dominated U.S. So what does the band do after they have a certified gold album and a #4 debut chart position in the UK, all under their own label? Well, they sign to a major label in the States. Enter Tiny Evil/ Interscope, who have helped the careers of A.F.I., Jimmy Eat World and Brand New. So the band signs an American deal and releases the album Stateside 7 months later. This is the story of how we have gotten here, to me reviewing the CD, here in America.

Some of you may all ready know that this was my favorite album of 2007, so you already know that I like this CD. Nonetheless, I will give you a full review of what you can expect from this band. Enter Shikari can be described as a group that incorporates techno, trance and house music with the hardcore and metal aspects which are ever so popular over here. Together, the sounds create a genre that many have coined "trancecore," kind of similar to the way Horse the Band coined "nintendocore." The first song, "Enter Shikari," is, for the most part, a giant breakdown coupled with sections that lead into those breakdowns. So, essentially, by the first track, you know what to expect from this album - chugs and chants. The second song, "Mothership," has a bit more trance in it then others; most of the songs have a typical trance rhythm which is the focal point. "Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour..." is the tune that best shows off the band's vocal abilities, which makes sense since the lyrics are about the awkwardness of a guy observing a girl and she just doesn't give him the time of day.

"Labyrinth" is one of my favorite songs on the album; it's the best at fusing the aggressive side of the band with their penchant for catchy, poppy melodies. The guitar part during the choruses is reminiscent of a pop punk riff, and what is better then a good pop punk song that still gets you pissed off? Nothing. "No Sssweat" is a decent song that pretty much follows the standard hardcore rules; if you're not playing a breakdown or a part leading into a breakdown, play a two-step or a part leading into a two-step. "Today won't go Down in History" is the sad rock ballad of the record, using a high vocal melody to convey the epic feel that goes with any ballad. This is probably my least favorite song of the record, but it isn't horrible. "Sorry, You're Not a Winner" is a hell of a song and was the perfect one to release as the single; it is one of those songs that you can put on anytime and get enjoyment out of it.

"Johnny Sniper" is probably the most poppy of the songs on the album, with lots of upbeat drums and a great tapping lick that serves up the melody. It's a bit of a more subdued Enter Shikari, but a good song nonetheless. "Adieu" is the acoustic track of the album, and though it's a bit cheesy, any tough scene kid will enjoy a break from the breakdowns. I personally recommend checking out the remix to the song which is featured on their Zone EP, especially if you like the ending of the original version. The final song, "Ok, Time for Plan B," is without a doubt my favorite song on the album. It's a total change from "Adieu" and makes you remember that this band isn't in the industry to put out catchy hits.

This debut album is a perfect start for a band that has a great future ahead of them. The album is just under an hour long and is a bit on the long side but it makes sense as far as listening to the whole album start to finish. You feel like you get your money's worth. The album has 6 non-song into/interlude/outros, which surprisingly don't hinder the movement of the album. The only thing really missing is top-notch song-writing; the band has some room to grow in that aspect and I think that they will improve on that for the next album. D.I.Y. credibility aside, if you're looking for a band to get into right now, this is my number one recommendation.