Artist: Enter Shikari Album: The Mindsweep

Year: 2015
Duration: 0:0-1

Enter Shikari's The Mindsweep: A Critical Review of an Experimental Album

Enter Shikari is an English Rock band that has been pushing the boundaries of music since their formation in 2003. They are known for their incorporation of various genres such as Post-Hardcore, Electronic, and even Hardcore Punk into their work. This time around, the band came out with The Mindsweep, which was released on January 19, 2015. The album was received with mixed emotions, and critics either praised it as a masterpiece or claimed it was too experimental. In this post, we will be taking a close look at Enter Shikari's The Mindsweep. I will be delving into the brief history of the band, the type of music genre in the album, the best songs, the most innovative part of the album, and my personal critique.

Brief History of Enter Shikari

Enter Shikari, a four-piece band, was formed in 2003 when the members were still in school. The band members were Roughton Rou Reynolds on vocals, Rou's childhood friend Chris Batten on bass and backing vocals, Liam Rory Clewlow on guitar and backing vocals, and Rob Rolfe on drums. They got their name from a boat in the movie Saving Private Ryan, and they've been making music since then. They have gone on to release numerous successful albums and have played sold-out shows around the world.

Album Genre

The Mindsweep is a unique album that blends various genres to create a unique sound. The album has a strong post-hardcore and electronic influence. It consists of eleven tracks that incorporate punk, metal, and pop elements to create a perfect combination of sound.

Best Songs

It's difficult to select the best songs from the album since all the tracks are different and great in their way. However, the following tracks stand out for me:

1. The Last Garrison: It's the album's lead single with an electronic and catchy intro that transitions into heavy guitar riffs and post-hardcore-styled vocals. The lyrics are powerful and talk about facing challenges in life.

2. Anaesthetist: It's one of the most political songs on the album, and it's about the issues with the NHS and privatization of public health care. It's an intense song with a killer guitar solo.

3. The Bank of England: It's a thoughtful song with ambient vibes. It talks about the economic disparity and how the working-class suffers from the dominant system. The music has an eerie synth sound that adds to the song's theme.

Innovative Parts

One innovative part of the album's instrumentation is the use of electronic elements. The incorporation of electronic beats and synths adds depth to the songs and makes them sound unique. Additionally, the band's decision to include more electronic production in their music is a perfect evolution of their previous work.

Critique

Overall, The Mindsweep is an excellent album. It has various songs that explore themes such as politics, personal life experiences, and mental health issues. The sound is fresh and unique, and it's a perfect reflection of the band's diversity. However, one criticism I have is the overproduction of some tracks. The album has an excellent balance of rawness and electronic elements, but it seems there is too much of the latter at times.

In conclusion, Enter Shikari's The Mindsweep is a fantastic album that showcases the band's versatility and growth as artists. The combination of post-hardcore and electronic music is an excellent progression of their sound, and their lyrics are thoughtful and relatable. It's an album that can be enjoyed for years to come. While the album is not perfect, it's a great representation of the band, and it's worth listening to if you're a fan of their previous work or the post-hardcore genre as a whole.