Butcher Babies – Nightbloom
Butcher Babies – Nightbloom
Judge & Jury Records
release date: 02/10/26
Review by: Jon Deaux
5/10
This album is akin to having an interminable funeral because your uncle wrote a second eulogy.
Butcher Babies started their journey in the city of Las Vegas way back in 2009. But unlike marriage relationships, the presidency of different leaders and even the lifetime of a pet hamster, Butcher Babies has stayed strong. Change happens to people and it also happens to bands. Carla Harvey left the band two years ago, leaving half of the dual vocals that made up the band behind. Fifth record titled ‘Nightbloom’ has come after three years of silence and this is the first recording which has been done without her. Now that Heidi Shepherd is the face at the front line of Butcher Babies, she has plenty on her mind and it is obvious that the album is highly personal to her.
‘Lost In Your Touch’ is the opening track on this record and it happens to be the strongest one here. You will hear that chorus singing right inside of you mind and arranging all furniture there without having to pay any rent. Shepherd has recorded it from point of view of someone watching her ex-partner fall for a new person, and how the new guy can get how deeply she feels, knowing that every word of love he says to her makes her lose, wondering if the new girl loses herself in his embrace as well as she did? It’s a selfish and vulnerable but at the same time sincere song, which works because nobody ever sounds noble when he mourns over the loss of his love. Flury adds guitar lines that feel like a slam of a car door in the middle of the night, adding more physicality to the heartbreak
‘Are You Waiting Up?’ is another good song on this album. It has melodic elements reminiscent of Spiritbox, and that is not something that should offend anybody, on the contrary. It’s a tight, confident track all in all. ‘Black Clouds Over Georgia’ has clear Halestorm influence, both in writing and performance of Shepherd. It’s a great, self-assured rocker with nothing to be embarrassed about. And, by the way, ‘Fever In My Neck’ has one of the strongest choruses here, and I would still recommend it despite its questionable name. ‘Songbird’ fits well within In This Moment’s style; in fact, Maria Brink could potentially have the label’s lawyers sue for back rent. Shepherd’s vocals hold the song down and at this point, Shepherd stops being a backup singer and becomes the focal point of the song.
From here onwards, the album falls flat. ‘Sincerity’ and ‘Blame It On The Wind’ have no bite to them when you would expect the band to bring their teeth after all this time and instead feel like throwbacks to better days, songs that should never see the light of day. ‘Broken & Beautiful’ tries to be empowering and has an excellent message behind it, but the chorus was crafted with the enthusiasm of a greeting card and needs a better delivery system. Leaving California is forgettable until you take into account the power of Shepherd’s vocal range, which is equivalent to admiring the scenery of a hospital waiting room. Closer ‘Black Dove’ spins in circles until the song stalls completely and leaving it as the closing track.
Nightbloom divides into two. The good part is so good that I would like to listen to it again, and the bad part is the kind of material that you can skip without realizing that you have done it. A large part of the issue here lies in the absence of Carla in the music, and a number of songs appear to be songs made for two people but have been forced to make do with one voice. The Butcher Babies are capable of doing great music, as shown in some of their songs. They just need to refine their editing process and include more songs that look like they have been written with passion.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Lost In Your Touch
02. Sincerity
03. Blame It On The Wind
04. Broken & Beautiful
05. Are You Waiting Up?
06. Black Clouds Over Georgia
07. Fever In My Neck
08. Songbird
09. Leaving California
10. Black Dove
LINKS:
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