In 2023, the Welsh alternative metal outfit, SKINDRED, celebrate their 25th anniversary with the release of their new studio album “Smile.” It is the band’s eighth long-player overall and the first for Earache Records with whom they signed a four-album deal last year. Some 25 years ago, I could never in my wildest dreams imagine the fusion of reggae and metal to sound so exciting. After all, this particular fusion had most prominently been used for comedy value by the likes of DREAD ZEPPELIN, not exactly for conveying a genuine musical substance, up until the smashing debut, “Babylon” (2002), released by this band of merry metal pranksters. I guess it is rather telling that the album peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart two years after its initial release – and again in 2006, around the time I found out about this magnificent crossover act. The band’s talismanic frontman, Benji Webbe, has dubbed their signature style ”nu-reggae” in reference to the term, nu-metal, and it is actually quite fitting: his trademark vocals do resonate with the air of both Jonathan Davis of KORN and Beenie Man, not to mention the band’s ragga metal sound that is like a hybrid of nu-metal and dancehall grooves. This no-holds-barred approach has been the band’s calling card ever since; it’s no surprise that the new album also plays on this impeccable strength – and by doing so it does resonate with an aura that’s perhaps more familiar from the anything-goes mentality of those revered 1990s acts, such as LIVING COLOUR and FAITH NO MORE, rather than the vast majority of this manicured format music of today. “Smile” mixes bouncing nu-metal riffs, dub aesthetics, catchy pop hooks, and electronica elements into a mind-melting collection of songs that are bound to bring a smile (sic!) to your face.
Ahead of the album, SKINDRED released an anthemic ragga-metal party banger “Gimme That Boom” already in 2022. In terms of energy, the song instantly triggered flashbacks of that early single “Set It Off” from their debut, regardless of being a tad less liberal with the wild mixing of genres. For me, the band’s 2018 effort “Big Tings” came and went without leaving much of a lasting impact, so I welcomed this new single with enthusiasm – yes, these ruffians are back in business! Of course, the chorus is slightly reminiscent of the 2000 nu-metal banger, “Click Click Boom,” by SALIVA but it does not really hinder the song’s appeal in the slightest. It sure has proved an incessant earworm over the last few months as the Finnish rock-oriented radio stations seem to have taken a liking to it. By way of offering the first full-flavor teaser from the upcoming album, the song sounded promising indeed.
In March 2023, SKINDRED dropped another single, “Set Fazers,” which was something of a science-fiction-tinted dancehall metal. Yes, after a few spins, it was beginning to look a lot like the upcoming studio effort was going to be just as impressive as their debut had been almost 20 years ago despite the fact that, quite obviously, they couldn’t possibly take me by such an overwhelming surprise anymore. Now, although I know that this crazy bunch can do practically anything and still make it sound cool, both the delivery and craft on the new outing are oozing with such an unadulterated level of honesty and vision that it still leaves me flabbergasted. Apart from this bunch and maybe ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION, there aren’t many rock or metal outfits that have flirted with the dub aesthetics to such a stunning effect.
Then, the next single release, “If I Could,” released in April, showed us another facet of the band’s versatile craft. Resonating with an almost plaintive air, the song alternates between punchy riffs and big, singalong choruses that spice things up with a little bit of melancholy flair. I couldn’t help but get spine-tingling flashbacks of their 2015 song “Saying It Now” from the album, “Volume,” as well as of SKUNK ANANSIE‘s most heart-wrenching crossover moments from the 1990s. Well, SKINDRED was founded in 1998, so, technically, they are a 1990s band – and it kind of shines through in their laissez-faire-devil-may-care conduct. In this day and age, although we have probably heard every possible genre-mongrel that you could possibly conceive, it still sounds endearingly bold and old-fashioned to blend something characteristically metal with such rad influences as hardcore punk, ragga, ska, drum&bass, hip-hop, or the mainstream pop from the 1980s – yeah, this crazy bunch even covered the 1982 Eddy Grant blockbuster “Electric Avenue” on their 2009 album “Shark Bites and Dog Fights” and, against all odds, made it groove like hell. That was not a small feat because, with all due respect, the original is pretty goofy.
So, when the album finally came out, I was already pretty worked up to love it – and it didn’t let me down. First up, opening the album, “Our Religion” is a nu-metal riffathon that resonates with such heaviness it challenges the intergalactic goliaths, neutron stars and black holes, even. Then, following the first two single cuts, “Life That’s Free” gears up on the drum&bass aesthetics recalling acts such as PENDULUM and THE PRODIGY. Breakbeats and distorted guitars are a match made in heaven, if you ask me.
Of course, this would not be a genuine SKINDRED album if there wasn’t at least one track to confuse me in a good way; “L.O.V.E. (Smile Please)” is a little bit goofy, singalong reggae track of which I cannot make up my mind whether it’s some sort of in-joke or not. Be what it may, I cannot deny the song sounds infectiously good-vibey. Then, by contrast, the follow-up track, “This Appointed Love,” is perhaps the darkest dub-metal moment in this selection, mixing Bob Marley vibes with the song’s haunting nu-metal choruses. Obviously, it is the song that forced my finger on the repeat button, immediately, just like “The Beginning of Sorrow” did on their debut. Once again, SKINDRED put out an album that got me saving almost every track to my ”Liked” playlist on Spotify while waiting for the physical copy to arrive in my mailbox. The thing is, the remaining tracks do deliver up to specs just as splendidly as these cuts mentioned above – “State of the Union” by being a feel-good, somewhat 1980s-tinted pop-reggae number, “Addicted” by adding a bit of vintage hip-hop flavor to the band’s signature metal conduct, and “Mama” by being a straight-up reggae blast.
Bringing the nu-reggae feast to a close, “Unstoppable” is an anthemic tour-de-force of the band’s signature strengths. Back in the day, when the band’s debut knocked me out, I didn’t listen to anything else for a couple of weeks or so; the cornucopia of delighted musical madness overwhelmed me completely, just like those 1990s classics such as Faith No More‘s “Angel Dust” (1992) or KORN‘s “Follow the Leader” (1999) had done earlier. Now, it seems that these voodoo-metal priests have done it again. I guess it’s a good thing I don’t have any new reviews lined up because I think I’m going to spend some quality time with this beast for quite some time to come.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Our Religion
- Gimme That Boom
- Set Fazers
- Life That’s Free
- If I Could
- L.O.V.E. (Smile Please)
- This Appointed Love
- Black Stars
- State of the Union
- Addicted
- Mama
- Unstoppable
Lineup
Benji Webbe – lead vocals, synths
Daniel Pugsley – bass, programming, backing vocals
Mikey Demus – guitars, backing vocals
Arya Goggin – drums
Label
Earache Records
