Album Review

Royal Blood, ‘Dead Company’: At full volume

Words by The Pit Standard

Royal Blood have never needed much to make a racket. Mike Kerr’s bass can fill the space of an entire guitar section, while Ben Thatcher knows exactly when to hit harder and when to let a groove do the work. On Dead Company, their fifth album, the duo set themselves a clear challenge: make things faster, louder and heavier. Self-produced, the record puts the emphasis firmly on the chemistry between its two members, with songs written and recorded with the live stage in mind. After the more exploratory directions of Typhoons and Back To The Water Below, this is Royal Blood concentrating on the physical impact of their sound.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

The title track wastes no time establishing those intentions. Its bass riff has a restless, almost runaway quality, with Thatcher pushing the track forward rather than simply keeping time. It is direct, aggressive and gets straight to the point. “Swallow The Bomb” keeps the pressure up, moving at a frantic pace with a punk-edged urgency. There’s little room to settle into a comfortable groove; the track seems determined to keep moving before anyone has the chance to catch their breath.

“Ten Over Ten” brings a different kind of swagger. Its desert-rock riff has a loose, rolling quality, while the drumming gives it a heavier charge. Inspired by Kerr’s marathon training, the song’s theme of endurance fits its relentless pace. The appeal, though, is in the interplay between Kerr and Thatcher. They have an instinctive understanding of how to make a two-piece sound considerably larger than it is. “Mother Never Told You”, the final single released ahead of the album, follows with another blunt, riff-led attack. The chorus is built for a crowd, although the density of the sound occasionally pushes Kerr’s vocal further back than it needs to be.

The first four tracks make a strong case for this approach, but the album needs to do more than keep turning up the volume. “Nowhere All Along” begins to loosen the grip, bringing a more expansive feel to the bass-heavy arrangement. Kerr reaches higher in his vocal range, adding a different character to the track, while the shifting structure gives Thatcher more room to play. It’s a welcome change of pace, even if the song never quite escapes the familiar framework.

“Ride” brings a more emotive, space-rock feel, giving its heavy rhythm a little more room to travel. The track has a strong sense of forward motion, but “Rear View Mirror” makes the most of the duo’s particular chemistry. Kerr’s bass has a filthy, almost guitar-like bite, locking into Thatcher’s drumming with the sort of precision that makes their partnership so effective. There’s a dark groove running through it, and the track feels heavier for its control rather than simply its volume.

“Take ‘Em All” offers another useful shift. Its half-time rhythm gives the album some breathing space, with a more considered alt-rock feel replacing the full-speed attack of the opening tracks. It is one of the better examples of the band varying their approach without losing their identity. “Tapping Out” then returns to familiar territory, pairing an anthemic chorus with sustained low-end grit. The hook has the scale of a live favourite, although by this point the album’s reliance on similar dynamics starts to become apparent.

The closing “The Closer” takes a more interesting route to the finish. Its darker, atmospheric opening gives the impression that the band are about to take the record somewhere less predictable. Instead, the track gradually builds towards an extended heavy jam, allowing Kerr and Thatcher to stretch out rather than rushing towards another immediate payoff. It is a welcome reminder that their sound can hold more than one mood, and the gradual escalation makes for a satisfying final passage.

There is plenty to enjoy on Dead Company. The performances are forceful, the riffs have real weight and the rhythm section rarely loses its grip. Royal Blood sound particularly convincing when they let the bass and drums interact rather than relying on the sheer size of the production. But the album’s determination to maintain its intensity also works against it. Once the initial rush has passed, several tracks begin to occupy similar ground, and the changes in pace don’t always bring enough new ideas with them.

Dead Company shows how effective Royal Blood can be when Kerr and Thatcher are working in sync. The bass has real character, the drumming is consistently sharp and there are enough changes in mood and pace to keep the album engaging. But strong performances cannot compensate for songwriting that too often settles for the obvious. Too many tracks lack a distinctive identity, and the record never quite builds into the cohesive statement it could have been. Royal Blood know exactly how to make an impact, but Dead Company doesn't give them enough new ground to cover. At 3.5/5, it's a solid album with flashes of brilliance, but not one of their most compelling.

Artist: Royal Blood