Skarlett Riot – Invicta
Skarlett Riot – Invicta
Despotz Records
Release Date: 07/05/2021
Running Time: 48:08
Review by Beth Jones
10/10
As a reviewer, I will never tire of the privileged position that we have of being introduced to new music on a daily basis. Music, for me, has always been a lifeblood, and a constant, which travels with me, wherever life leads. The creation of music is a journey which strives to make emotional connections, in whatever form that may take. And, as a listener, one of the best feelings in the world is hearing an album, or indeed any piece of music, that connects with you straight away. In that instant, you know you’ve found something special. This doesn’t necessarily happen all the time, but when it does, it is magical.
I’m going to say, straight up, that “Invicta”, the latest release from UK Modern/Alternative Metal band, Skarlett Riot, is one of those magical albums. And that’s because it’s been created with emotion at its forefront. The band themselves say about the album “We’ve overcome so much together as a band throughout the years and “Invicta” represents the physical and mental struggles we’ve experienced together and individually, making us who we are today.”
Musically, Skarlett Riot could be likened to a combination of Killswitch Engage and Evanescence (who incidentally are two of my favourite bands). It’s a chunky, technical, riff-heavy sound, with lots of hooks and progressive elements, and a combination of screams, growls, and clean vocals from the exceptional pipes of Skarlett, all pulled together through brilliant melodies. It’s fast and ferocious, and played, mixed, and produced perfectly, making it an irresistible listen from start to finish.
However, the ‘great album’ status of “Invicta” moves a step higher for me, with one track in particular. Recently, I’ve not been in the best place. A lot of historical detritus decided to invade my headspace in a way that it’s never managed to before, and it’s not been much fun. ‘Into Pieces’, lyrically, is a track that could have been written from my soul. It’s a more acoustic-based track, compared to the speed and punchiness of the rest of the album. And it’s a melancholic journey from start to finish, which caught me off-guard on first listen. I’ve now lost count of how many times I’ve listened to that track alone in the past couple of weeks. It’s been my go-to track, I’ve had it on repeat, I’ve turned it up full pelt in the car and sung my heart out to it (it didn’t take long to learn it word-for-word, because I felt like I already knew it), I’ve wandered round the house humming it, and I’ve cried to it. I feel very lucky to have found it, and Skarlett Riot. This is the start of a beautiful friendship between me and their music.
And that’s all I really have to say about this album. There’s only so many ways to say ‘this is next-level brilliant’ in one review. The magic music triangle of technical perfection, passionate emotions, and connection, glows intensely throughout this masterpiece of a record, making it a very strong contender for my number 1 album of 2021, and it’s only May. It’s going to take some beating; I can tell you that.
‘Stronger’ (Official Video)
TRACKLISTING:
01. Breaking the Habit
02. Gravity
03. Black Cloud
04. Underwater
05. Stronger
06. Cut the Ties
07. Into Pieces
08. Not Alone
09. To the Flames
10. Falling
11. Human
LINE-UP:
Skarlett – Lead Vocals/Guitars
Danny – Guitars/Backing Vocals
Tim – Bass/Backing Vocals
Luke – Drums
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
