Shields – ‘Life In Exile’ (Album Review)
Sometimes life punches you straight in the face – and when that happens, no sane and reasonable person would look down on you for taking some time to recover. Shields have been through some horrific experiences recently – to say the absolute least – and the fact that they have chosen to push on should only inspire respect and admiration.
“If technically advanced metalcore is your thing, you’re going to love Life In Exile”
Whether taken in light of recent events or not, Life In Exile is a fucking immense album. It takes the well-established tech-metalcore template and stretches the dynamics employed to over-the-top extremes. A given song can swing suddenly between super-clean and catchy chorus hooks to filth-ridden beatdowns and labyrinthine riffs, with little to no warning ahead of time.
Those riffs, by the way, are some of the best I’ve heard so far this year. Just…fucking hell.
Personally, Black Dog, It’s Killing Me, and Aokigahara were standout favourites – but if technically advanced metalcore is your thing, you’re going to love Life In Exile. This is the sound of a band who know exactly what direction they’re taking, and are fully capable of pulling off everything they need to. There’s motivation, and then there’s true, indomitable commitment.
Shields are driven by the latter.
Hats off to them.
LTK RATING: 92% (Essential Listening!)
Pre-order Life In Exile (out April 20) on iTunes.
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