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Watford's punk heroes return with lyrically damning set of pulsating anthems

TRACKLISTING:
1. "The Riverbank" (2:28)
2. "London Is The Reason" (3:11)
3. "Leeches" (3:46)
4. "Black Eyes" (2:51)
5. "I Dread The Night" (3:39)
6. "Death Voices" (3:55)
7. "The Vulture (Acts I & II)" (6:02)
8. "The Riverbed" (3:57)
9. "The Great Forgiver" (2:14)
10. "Graves" (2:42)
11. "Queensberry Rules" (4:16)
12. "Misery" (5:09)
13. "Crucifucks" (7:59)

From the moment the ominous, haunting strings of The Riverbank, the spinechilling intro to Gallows' sophomore album Grey Britain, spookily build towards a triumphantly commanding opening riff, it is apparent within an instant that the Watford punk quintet intend not only to progress their own raucous, unrivalled sound even further, but also to leave their mark on a UK music scene that is distinctly lacking in originality and intensity of this kind, both in terms of music and lyrics. While 2006's debut Orchestra of Wolves was unquestionably an impressive piece of work, as illustrated by the vast amounts of critical acclaim that the band has gained, not to mention an admirably substantial fanbase, the album was recorded and produced by the band themselves on a shoestring. With revered producer Garth "GGGarth" Richardson, the mastermind behind Biffy Clyro's Puzzle and Rage Against The Machine's legendary self-titled debut, at the helm this time around, however, it is no wonder that Grey Britain is nothing other than a consistently thought-provoking, mindblowing barrage of the finest hardcore. While Richardson's presence is influential, though, the majority of the credit must lie with Frank Carter, Steph Carter, Lee Barratt, Stu Gili-Ross and Lags Bernard. The five members of Gallows really have stepped up their game with regard to songwriting, technique and general musicianship, which is the main reason why, come December 2009, fans of heavy music the world over will undoubtedly regard Grey Britain as one of the standout releases of the previous twelve months.

A notable example of the advances made by Gallows in terms of songwriting is London is the Reason, a track that has already become a live favourite among fans owing to its cool, contemporary style. The understated yet irresistible riffs provided by guitarists Steph Carter and Laurent Bernard act as the perfect backdrop to Frank Carter's rage-infested preaching, and there is a clear improvement in the production quality, which adds to the track's larger-than-life nature. Furthermore, if Frank Carter's lyrical stance was not already apparent, it certainly comes to the fore here. As the album title may suggest, the charismatic vocalist's view of Great Britain is a bleak one; he generally sees this country as being the lowest of the low, and politicians, racists and the police are among those who come under fire. Carter's perspective on the state we find ourselves in is documented in the grotesque yet strangely intriguing artwork created by the man himself. Of course, some will agree with Carter's thoughts while others will no doubt argue that Britain's position is no worse than that of any other country, as areas of the Third World, for example, face much tougher obstacles in daily life than most of us could ever imagine. Whether or not one agrees with Carter need not be an issue, however, as Grey Britain is such a musically astute, complete punk rock album that it is an essential purchase for any fans of the genre.

Black Eyes is a great example of the overpowering combination of extremely frank lyrics (no pun intended) and powerful punk rock that Gallows execute so well throughout this album. An attack on the British political system which has perhaps turned out to be more apt than had been anticipated, this is a no-holds-barred, all-encompassing anthem that should also be hugely popular among Gallows fans for years to come. Leeches and The Great Forgiver both illustrate Frank Carter's belief that religion is a beacon of false hope for millions. The former is a measured yet explosive offering that again highlights the band's impressive songwriting abilities, while the latter is as fast and furious as it gets, a brutal assault that, by Carter's own admission, is the ideal soundtrack to a circle pit.

While Carter's lyrics undeniably strike any listener to a considerable extent, his vocal style has also changed quite drastically since Orchestra of Wolves. Throughout the entire record, the vocalist adopts a brutally harsh, corrosive tone, which is effective as it makes him sound even more pissed off than his lyrics may suggest. This can be heard on the remarkable Crucifucks, where the line "Great Britain is fucking dead" in particular has a spinechilling lasting effect due to this almost superhuman texture in Carter's voice. The track itself acts as a platform for the band to introduce a whole host of new elements to their sound, most notably the intricate, epic orchestral section which closes the album, a fascinating moment that provides the listener with some necessary time to reflect on just what they have experienced over the last fifty minutes. Gallows also explore previously unchartered territory on The Vulture (Acts I & II). Act I is a sombre, acoustic affair where Carter, uncharacteristically yet successfully, opts for melodic vocals that enhance the track's haunting atmosphere, while Act II, the first single to be taken from the album, repeats the lyrical theme of Act I in typically abrasive, uncompromising fashion.

Graves begins with phenomenal pace and power, Lee Barratt's ferocious drumming acting as the perfect compliment to the frantic riffage on display. The track's status is elevated significantly halfway through, however, when Biffy Clyro frontman and god Simon Neil adds his unmistakably smooth tone to proceedings. A Simon Neil/Frank Carter duet really is hard to beat. This is one of several tracks on Grey Britain where Gallows really highlight the bleakness of their message through the technical nature of the music, as well as the lyrics. The Riverbed, for instance, is an extremely dark, perhaps even depressing piece of work, centred around an absolutely seismic main riff. Carter's refrain of "Let it rain on me" seems fitting given the crushing instrumentation that accompanies it so effectively. Queensberry Rules is equally dark but no less enjoyable. The highlight occurs when the song suddenly erupts towards the end, Frank Carter passionately screaming yet more intense lyrics with ferocious vigour before a heartstopping conclusion. Another example of a track where sheer dejection is a prominent influence in all areas is the brilliant Misery, where a surreal piano intro shortly descends into a bombardment of the fiercest hardcore imaginable. In many ways this is the heaviest track on the album, and is certainly one of the best, the highlight being one of the finest breakdowns to be heard this year, complimented by the inspirational, rallying gang chant "Misery fucking loves us, and we love her too", which pretty much sums up the message and atmosphere of Grey Britain as a whole.

To contrast with this overall sense of anguish and desolation, there are some tracks that adopt a much more positive tone. Of course, the lyrical side of the likes of I Dread The Night and Death Voices is still somewhat grim, but guitarists Lags Bernard and Steph Carter are on particularly inspiring form, as their riffs on both tracks are the basis for some truly uplifting, anthemic punk rock. The main riff in Death Voices is colossal, and is most explosive when it reappears after a truly awesome acapella section. I Dread The Night is undoubtedly one of the album's main highlights. A track that grows in intensity and creativity as it progresses, guitarists Bernard and Carter combine perfectly once again with the rhythm section of Barratt and Gili-Ross, and the chorus really is a moment to savour.

As the old cliche states, the second album is always the most crucial and potentially damaging of a band's career. This is most certainly true of Gallows; as admitted by the band themselves, Orchestra of Wolves brought a level of success and popularity that exceeded their most ambitious expectations, a level of success that was thought to be an unattainable goal for bands with such an intense, heavy hardcore sound, and this in turn adds to the already existing pressure of following up any debut album with an even more impressive offering. However, Frank Carter and his bandmates really have pushed the boat out with the astounding Grey Britain, and to attempt to deny that this album is anything other than remarkable would be an impossible task. There is no doubt that Orchestra of Wolves was an excellent record, but Gallows have somehow improved in virtually every area of their sound, which is no exaggeration but is also no mean feat. Frank Carter's lyrics, and the album's politically-charged theme as a whole, may be the most noticeable aspect of Grey Britain for many, which is reasonable considering the sheer boldness, honesty and relevance of Carter's words. When the intricacies of Grey Britain are examined, however, it becomes apparent that the songs themselves are as well-crafted as they are diverse, and the technical abilities of all five band members are on display for all to witness. These are just some of the factors that make up this awesome piece of work, and those who have somehow avoided this vital band so far will no longer be able to ignore them. There are some who believe punk is dead, both in terms of ideology and music. Punk is very much alive, and Gallows are the living, breathing proof.

BEST TRACKS: "Misery", "I Dread The Night".

OVERALL ANALYSIS:
Song structure: 8/10.
Originality: 9/10.
Diversity: 9/10.
Progress from previous material: 10/10.
Album structure/consistency: 9/10.
Production/mixing: 10/10.
Lyrics/artwork: 10/10.
Staying power: 8/10.
Overall musicianship: 17/20.

SCORE: 90%.

"Grey Britain" is out now via Warner Bros in all good music outlets.

UPCOMING REVIEWS:
Your Demise - "Ignorance Never Dies",
Chimaira - "The Infection".

Cheers for reading,
JJ.

GallowsGrey BritainThe Ghost of a ThousandCancer BatsBlackholeDead SwansThe BronxYour DemiseThis Is Hell