by Justin Trudell
photo by Perou
Did you hear? In 2017, rock music declared: “I ain’t dead yet.” The resuscitators of the genre have arrived, dressed in all black and ready to buck with only a bass guitar, tons of effects pedals, and a drum kit that takes more abuse than a politically-charged Reddit post. After a long hiatus, Royal Blood have released their sophomore album How Did We Get So Dark? The new tracks are groovier than the self-titled debut from Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher, yet just as great. New singles “Lights Out” and “Hook, Line and Sinker” get your heart racing and your feet moving while classic tracks like “Little Monster” and “Out of the Black” bring the matches and gasoline to the party. Royal Blood have a flair for live performances, especially at festivals, so forget everything you know about their studio sound. Extended guitar solos and mid-song crowd surfing are common, as is some good old-fashioned moshing.
