SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ROYAL BLOOD – BACK TO THE WATER BELOW

ROYAL BLOOD
BACK TO THE WATER BELOW
WARNER RECORDS

Royal Blood have returned with Back To The Water Below, their first record since 2021’s Typhoons. For their fourth album, the British duo consisting of singer and bassist Mike Kerr and drummer Ben Thatcher have reached a point of culmination within their sound as they seamlessly bridge hard rock tones with an alt-pop energy, accented by a meaningful sense of longing.

Back To The Water Below opens with an absolute sledgehammer of a song, the initial single “Mountains At Midnight”. The riff simply couldn’t get any fuzzier, with Thatcher’s drums cutting through, clear as day, and Kerr’s lead and backing vocals smoothly polished. The verse sees his bass, using effects and some studio magic from engineer Pete Hutchings, in a call and response role between what feels like a guitar in the distance and a bass. It’s a cool dynamic that allows for this band to continue to push the possibilities whilst remaining a duo. If “Mountains At Midnight” is the heaviest on the album, then “Shiner In The Dark” may be their poppiest. With an array of backing melodies and synths, the track sounds like a collision between Josh Homme and Queen. “Pull Me Through” sees the band take root in a piano-driven progression, allowing for Kerr’s bass lead lines to shine within a greater harmonic context. The song still grooves hard and by no means is a ballad, but there is a seriousness in the song’s tone that is unlike anything else to come from Royal Blood. “Pull Me Through” feels sophisticated and as vintage as it does modern with the makings of a Bond theme.

In a sense, the opening three songs on Back To The Water Below set the tone for the remaining seven on the record through a snapshot of three very different vibes. In this sense, Royal Blood’s latest album is their most versatile to date as Kerr and Thatcher continue to hone their songwriting into greater depths without sacrificing what makes them special. Additional highlights include the Zeppelin-like rhythmic chemistry of “Tell Me When It’s Too Late”, the sinister “Triggers”, the Ziggy Stardust-inspired “There Goes My Cool”, and the reflective ballad “Waves” which brings the album to a sombre close.

Front to back, Back To The Water Below is a thrilling album that sees Royal Blood return to the heights of their 2014 eponymous debut. The band sounds refreshed with their teeth sharpened despite having gained a sense of refinement in their songwriting. It is truly exciting to hear the band challenge themselves as performers and songwriters; ultimately Back To The Water Below raises the bar for both the alternative rock genre and Royal Blood.

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