SKINDRED

Skindred return with new studio 'album', 'Shark Bites and Dog Fights'. I use the term 'album' hesitantly here as, with a playing time of just under half an hour, is this perhaps better marketed as a long EP? Format-semantics aside, what we have with this release is quality over quantity. After all, some of the metal genre's seminal masterpieces have verged a little on the shorter side (At The Gates' 'Slaughter of the Soul' springs to mind). Whether 'Shark Bites...' becomes widely embraced as a masterpiece remains be seen, but one thing is certain - Skindred's latest studio offering is an instantly engaging slab of their self-proclaimed Ragga Metal, further cementing the band's uniqueness in their unparalleled fusion of reggae, metal, hip-hop and punk genres. Proceedings are kicked off with up-tempo opener 'Stand for Something' which sees the Welsh musicians introduce a more emphatic industrial element into the mix than on any of their previous music with a liberal use of electro sounds, complementing and emphasising the usual idioms to good effect. This sets the tone for the album, and remains a general motif for the most of the music. They even slip in an inventive cover of Eddy Grant's pop-reggae classic 'Electric Avenue' early on which receives the Skindred treatment with astonishingly compelling results. Frontman Benji Webbe, one-time Dub War vocalist, shines throughout with his wide-ranging, versatile voice - powerful rock vocals, smooth reggae tones, and hardcore growls are often interposed with bursts of what can perhaps only be described as reggae-core singing. On the whole, 'Shark Bites...' is a pleasingly diverse release, if a little short, and we're not talking inaccessible diversity here, as the experimental/progressive elements are contained within skilfully composed, wholly accessible music that will undoubtedly elevate Skindred to even greater success. There is no other band like Skindred out there. At least not one that's able to perfect such a seamless blend of reggae, metal and punk elements as well as they do. Pretty awesome stuff. Go check it out.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Bieler Bros. Records

Album

SHARK BITES AND DOG FIGHTS

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

29:43

RELEASE DATE:

21st Sept 2009

TRACK LISTING

1) Stand for Something
2) You Can't Stop It
3) Electric Avenue
4) Calling All Stations
5) Corrupted
6) Who Are You?
7) Days Like These
8) Invincible

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

UK

"Skindred's latest studio offering is an instantly engaging slab of their self-proclaimed Ragga Metal, further cementing the band's uniqueness in their unparalleled fusion of reggae, metal, hip-hop and punk genres."