The Real Music

.net

Having successfully hit the charts in the first week of its release, reaching number 12 in the Billboard top 200, Sleigh Bells' second full length album, Reign of Terror showed the anticipation of the band's fans. The New York based duo quoted the release as being a much more personal venture than its predecessor Treats. And one thing for sure, is that the band has produced an awesome and loud opus that threatens to make a huge mark on the alternative rock scene.

As of yet, Reign of Terror is easily the best release of 2012, in my opinion. The songs are all amazingly catchy in spite of the often brutal overtones. The best way to define the sound is to imagine Atari Teenage Riot on tranquillisers, whilst Alexis Krauss sounds like the spawn of Hope Sandoval and Kathleen Hanna. To my recollection, no band has ever had a sound which is so contrasting. From the pounding beats to the heavily distorted guitar, Sleigh Bells has an amazing and often chaotic edge. But at the same time, this is all layered with a dream pop quality that mellows the whole thing out. The album is energising while peaceful and euphoric all at once.

With Reign of Terror, Sleigh Bells seem to have injected a new vibe to the dream pop and noise pop scenes. And their wonderful balance of melodies and noise makes the album a trip to remember. It is unlikely the band will be to everyone's taste but the songs are catchy enough to draw in the listeners who could have otherwise been put off by the noise side of the music. Sleigh Bells is definitely a band to watch very closely in the near future, with a third album already in the making for a possible 2013 release.

F. Declercq 20/06/2012