ALBUM REVIEW Enter Shikari – ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’

Breaking new ground


Luke Dunne

Throughout the 1990s Essex rave rockers The Prodigy released a slew of great albums that changed the rock and dance scenes forever. Most Notably, 1994’s ‘Music for the Jilted Generation’ and 1996 ‘The Fat of the Land’. Two albums of not just commercial intent, but genre-defining records.
In 2008, the stars and planets aligned in a similar fashion for drum ‘n’ bass-turned-rockers, Pendulum, releasing their second album ‘In Sillico’. Fuelled by lead single ‘Propane Nightmares’, the group would go on to prove their begrudgers wrong and ascend to worldwide arena-level status.
And now four years later, British, electronic hardcore rockers Enter Shikari are about to do the exact same thing. The band, consisting of Rou Reynolds (vocals, electronics), Chris Batten (bass), Rory Clewrow (guitar) Rob Rolfe (drums) formed in St Albans, Hertfordshire during the year of 2003, and quickly gathered a community of fans and attracted the attention of record labels.
Having paid their dues on the underground circuit, the group began to reach wider audiences with their debut album, 2007’s ‘Take to the Skies’ (which debuted on the UK charts at Number 1 in it’s first week) and 2009’s ‘Common Dreads’. High slots at summer festivals such as Reading and Leeds over the years continued to hype the band up as high as Mount Everest.
In 2011, the band re-grouped to Thailand to record their third album with producer Dan Weller (Gallows, Young Guns) and in January of 2012, the group unleashed to the masses ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’. The band’s third effort is an ambitious but innovative work of art that challenges the listener from the get go. From heavy beatdowns to pumping drum n bass and ambient dubstep to thundering rock, the band wear all their influences on their sleeves on this 45 minute gem. Songs such as ‘Meltdown’ and ‘Search Party’ bounce and ooze with the same amount of energy you would get at a rave and inside a mosh pit while mellower offerings such as ‘Stalemate’ and ‘Constellations’ showcase a different side (colour, if you will) to an already vast palette.
The album’s lyrical content consists of political and social issues, as showcased by lead singer Rou Renyolds on the song ‘Ghandi Mate, Ghandi’, a track which starts off with a one minute rant from the lead singer on political corruption which ends with the whole band partaking in gang vocals shouting in unison ‘We’re sick of this Sh*t!’ Just before a heavy electronic melody takes precedence. Much like alternative metal veterans Rage Against the Machine. Enter Shikari are using music as a medium for their message. And it has to be said, they are using this to great advantage.
‘A Flash Flood of Colour’ is full of addictive and catchy hooks and if the name Enter Shikari isn’t familiar to you yet, then it will be very soon. This band are on the verge of entering the big leagues.

Rating 4 out of 5