Skindred - 'Smile' - Album Review

The year is 2004, you put on Need For Speed: Underground 2 and after a few races a song titled 'Nobody' starts blaating on your speakers and you immediately fall in love with a random Welsh band by the name of Skindred, totally unknown at the time. The classic game's iconic soundtrack also featured the likes of Static-X, Rise Against, Killing Joke, Mudvayne, Helmet and many others, but who would have though that two decades later, of all these legends exactly Skindred would be making the loudest noise and is such style?

The year is 2023, those same Skindred have just dropped their fantastic eight record Smile and Benji Webbe is officially a national treasure that must be protected at all costs. Same goes to his fellow band members that have stuck together for the last twenty years and outgrown most of their contemporaries, reaching an immortal status and yet going as positive, uplifting and consistent as always. Widely regarded as one of the best live acts of our time, Skindred return once again to remind us they are pretty good songwriters with could easily be the strongest record they have put in almost a decade.

Skindred hardly need an introduction or analysis of their rich discography. Often lumped together with the nu metal crowd across the pond due to undeniable stylistic similarities, the Newport legends managed to maintain a healthy distance away from the repetative and predictable tropes of the genre. Embracing their unique blend of metal, punk, ragga and reggae, wrapped in charismatic British swagger, topped with uplifting message of unity and empowerment, and fueled by emblematic live performances, and we have a legacy act that easily rivals even the biggest stars of their generation, and boy there were many.

Every band that has been going together without a break for over twenty years is bound to have sporadic moment of hesitation or exhaution, and one could argue that with all the respect they deserve, both Volume (2015) and Big Things (2018) felt a bit rushed and lacking that rebellious and uncontainable spark that ignited all records up to Kill The Power (2014). On the contrary, Smile is Skindred returning to their prime form, delivering not just their infectious raw power and charisma in a fantastic selection of modern arena anthems, but also chanelling the good parts from their recent releases, for despite my harsh criticism, they were present and pushed the band on a whole new level for good. Straight from the first second of the opening 'Our Religion' you are presented with one of the most groovy, bouncy and entertaining releases to come out this year, and this is saying a lot. Praising a veteran band with nothing left to prove is pointless, but if there was ever a band to find new ways to surprise this late in their career, it was always going to be Skindred. Their signature larger than life personality is on full display throughout the record, maintaining the perfect balance between heavy riffs, punk attitude, ragga party, and reggae positivity, delivered in the most uplifting and invigorating way possible.

I usually do my best to avoid established bands that have been going for so long and would naturally attract the public attention, leaving more space and focus for current acts and promising future stars, but when a record is that honest, unpretentious and straight up fun, you just cannot ignore it For the last 20 years I have learned to welcome each of Skindred's release without expectations or preconceptions, have not been disappointed even once. You can only imagine how happy I am that in 2023, they have even managed to surprise me and yet again put a smile on my face and a Smile on my playlist, surely on repeat for the whole Summer and probably until the end of the year.

Skindred - 'Smile'

Country: Wales

Released: 4 August 2023

Label: Earache Records

Tracklisting:

1. 'Our Religion'

2. 'GIMME THAT BOOM'

3. 'Set Fazers'

4. 'Life That's Free'

5. 'If I Could'

6. 'L.O.V.E. (Smile Please)'

7. 'This Appointed Love'

8. 'Black Stars'

9. 'State Of The Union'

10. 'Addicted'

11. 'Mama'

12. 'Unstoppable'