For many ‘A Flash Flood Of Colour’ has been eagerly anticipated, and from the opening track and familiar synth string, its clear Enter Shikari are back, and it’s about time.
Ok, so we’ve been kept entertained last year with ’Destabalise’ and ’Quelle Surprise’, but it’s so much better to have a full album of brand new songs to delve into. And trust me when I say it’s a welcomes return. The rise in drum and bass and dubstep over the past few years clearly have influenced this album, and although I’m really not the biggest fan of dubstep, I should never have doubted that Enter Shikari can deliver it in their own unique style and do it really well. I feel a swear word beginning with f should have come after really in that last sentence but I’m trying to keep it clean incase my mother reads this.
The album as a whole is fantastic, it really is. As mentioned, the electronics have delved into inspiration from drum and bass and dubstep, the latter taking full effect on ’Arguing With Thermometers’ which has left me prancing around in my underwear in my room on more than one occasion thinking I can dance. That groove really does get my two left feet all excited.
Another dashing of electronics is reminiscent of first album; ’Take To The Skies’. However, the song writing has progressed and their full integration of anything rock-related and anything electronic related; fusing their sounds and song formats together into something is quite terrific. It flows from one to the next and just in general the band take a better approach.
Despite the electro-heavy songs, there’s still hardcore, punk and post-hardcore parts in here, and probably heavier than before. That initial breakdown in ’Meltdown’ will surely be used for absolute chaos at their live shows and guitarist Rory lays down the law on ’Warm Smiles Do Not Make You Welcome Here.’
Its clear to say ’A Flash Flood Of Colour’ all about evolution and progression. It takes the maturity that was quickly found on ’Common Dreads’ and knocks it up another level. This album is only going to elevate them further.
It’s an album that leaves you hungry for more, but for now we need to relish on this album and admit that Enter Shikari are on top of their game. They probably are one of the UK’s biggest alternative bands around at the moment and if they’re not, it surely won’t be long until they are.
Enter Shikari are here and they’re going to be here for a while. Get used to it. Welcome back boys.
4.5/5
‘A Flash Flood Of Colour’ by Enter Shikari is out now on Ambush Reality/Hopeless.
Enter Shikari links: Website|Facebook|Twitter|YouTube|Spotify
Words by Michael Brown
