The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Week
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
1
1495
Editor Pick
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RIDE - WEATHER DIARIES
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ALISON MOYET - OTHER

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ROYAL BLOOD – HOW DID WE GET SO DARK?

Royal Blood

Royal Blood
How Did We Get So Dark?
Warner Music

Modern rock innovators, Royal Blood have returned with their sophomore full length album, How Did We Get So Dark?. The record follows the band’s massively successful self-titled album from 2014. On top of releasing what is bound to be one of the genre’s most exciting records of 2017, it was just announced that Royal Blood will open for alternative rock legends, Queens Of The Stone Age, on their upcoming tour this fall.

As the opening track, “How Did We Get So Dark?” begins to blare out of my speakers, I am not only reminded of how great Royal Blood are, but that the production on this record is flawless.  From a technical standpoint, this is one of the best records I have heard in quite some time.  Considering Royal Blood is a duo, consisting of vocalist and bassist Mike Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher, the band sounds massive, and each song is just dripping what sounds like liquid gold.  Musically, the album is just as praise worthy as the production. The ten songs revel in the band’s simple songwriting style, and exceed all expectations through their ability to fuse a number of different influences seamlessly together in an unbelievably catchy fashion.

How Did We Get So Dark? is a record which blurs the lines between generations of rock and pop. While sticking to their alternative and modern rock roots, the album sounds as inspired by a number of different classic rock icons — especially Queen and David Bowie circa 1983 — as it is by today’s indie pop and rock artists. This is most apparent on the album’s title track, the bouncy “I Only Lie When I Love You”, the very poppy “She’s Creeping”, and the album’s ballad, “Don’t Tell”. The band’s connection to Bowie and Queen rest largely in the band’s heavy blend of pop and rock, as well as its larger than life and cleanly produced sound; and it is certainly this fusion of influences which makes How Did We Get So Dark? so infectiously catchy and interesting.

That being said, Royal Blood still sound best when they are continuing on the legacy left by bands like Queens Of The Stone Age, and really dig into the hard hitting and dark yet slinky, sultry, and seductive vibes, which made their self-titled so damn exciting. While they are certainly exploring new territory and expanding the band’s stylistic repertoire, this is still an essential element to their unique sound, as heard on the two lead singles, “Hook, Line, And Sinker”, “Lights Out”, “Where Are You Now?” — a track recorded for the soundtrack to HBO’s Vinyl (2016) — and the album’s heavy closer, “Sleep”.

If How Did We Get So Dark is any indication, Royal Blood are quickly approaching a point in which they will be considered as one of the top alternative rock bands of our time. Should they continue this trajectory, they will one day be revered in a manner similar to the aforementioned Queens Of The Stone Age and Red Hot Chili Peppers. How Did We Get So Dark? is heavy and haunting, while also contrastingly fun and funky; regardless, they remain sexy without sacrificing their integrity or ability to be seen as one of rock’s most promising up and coming bands. Royal Blood flawlessly avoid the dreaded sophomore slump with How Did We Get So Dark?, a record which fans will have on repeat for the summer and will be a very serious contender for the best album of the year.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016 youtube_flat_2016 spotify_flat_2016

Editor Pick
Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ROYAL BLOOD – HOW DID WE GET SO DARK?

Author

Gerrod Harris

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
41.5
10
Total Spill Rating
41.5
Total Fan Rating
12 ratings
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewshow did we get so dark?i only lie when i love youroyal bloodwarner music
album reviews, how did we get so dark?, i only lie when i love you, royal blood, warner music
About the Author
Gerrod Harris
A passion for music has always been a part of Gerrod’s life. As a young boy, he was raised on a steady diet of the music from The Chili Peppers, Aerosmith, The Stones, Prince, and others from his mum. Raised in the GTA, Gerrod continued to foster his love for music by attending a wide range of concerts and learning the drums. His unapologetic passion for music has no bounds and has spread to a wide variety of styles, whether it be the 90’s rock that sound tracked his teenage years, the jazz he studied in university, or his newfound love for hip-hop. He recently received his bachelors in music and education from York University and is passionate about writing and reviewing good (and less than good) music. Gerrod is also the drummer and songwriter for a Toronto based rock & roll band, One In The Chamber.
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewsroyal bloodwarner music
 
8.0
The Dreadnoughts
—

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DREADNOUGHTS – ROLL AND GO

by Michelle Cooney on June 24, 2022
The Dreadnoughts Roll And Go Stomp Records The Dreadnoughts have been baptized with a variety of classifications, from “cluster folk” to “polka punk” to “ciderpunk”. Their new album, [...]
 
8.0
Dylan Moon

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DYLAN MOON – OPTION EXPLORE

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on June 17, 2022
Dylan Moon Option Explore RVNG Intl. Anybody who had a chance to hear Dylan Moon’s initial album Only the Blues, from 2019 might be taken aback by what is in the grooves (or bits) [...]
 
8.0
1st Base Runner

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: 1st BASE RUNNER – LIGHT ROARS

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on June 13, 2022
1st Base Runner Light Roars Independent Tim Husmann, aka 1st Base Runner has been on a hot streak for a few years now with his brand of dark, electronic modern gothic-oriented sounds, [...]
 
8.0
The Dream Syndicate

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DREAM SYNDICATE – ULTRAVIOLET BATTLE HYMNS AND TRUE CONFESSIONS

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on June 10, 2022
The Dream Syndicate Ultraviolet Battle Hymns And True Confessions Fire Records The Dream Syndicate came, dropped a few brilliant modern psych [...]
 
8.0
Wardruna

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: WARDRUNA – KVITRAVN – FIRST FLIGHT OF THE WHITE RAVEN

by Samantha Wu on June 10, 2022
Wardruna Kvitravn – First Flight Of The White Raven Music For Nations/Sony Music/Columbia Germany/Bynorse Einar Selvik is the storyteller and mastermind [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DREADNOUGHTS – ROLL AND GO
8.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DYLAN MOON – OPTION EXPLORE
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: 1st BASE RUNNER – LIGHT ROARS
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DREAM SYNDICATE – ULTRAVIOLET BATTLE ...
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: WARDRUNA – KVITRAVN – FIRST FLIGHT ...
8.0

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Week
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2022 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL FEATURE: CRUISE TO THE EDGE 2022 – THIS YEAR’S PROG CRUISE MAKES A LOT OF NOISE. A WHOLE LOT OF NOISE.
747
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PRIMUS – CONSPIRANOID
588
 
SPILL FEATURE: DON’T YOU FEEL CLOSER? – A CONVERSATION WITH CY CURNIN OF THE FIXX
583
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE FIXX – EVERY FIVE SECONDS
466
 
SPILL NEWS: BARENAKED LADIES TO RELEASE LIVE TRACKS FROM SOLD-OUT ROYAL ALBERT HALL SHOW | DELUXE EDITION OF ‘DETOUR DE FORCE’ OUT JUNE 3
343
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NAZARETH – SURVIVING THE LAW
337
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LOST CAT – “L.O.S.T.”
328
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: NIGHTWISH w/ BEAST IN BLACK @ HISTORY, TORONTO
317
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LUCIUS – SECOND NATURE
288
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DOROTHY – GIFTS FROM THE HOLY GHOST
275
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AVI KAPLAN – FLOATING ON A DREAM
271
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FANTASTIC NEGRITO – WHITE JESUS BLACK PROBLEMS
270
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: KRAFTWERK @ MASSEY HALL, TORONTO
236
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES