The very impressive Enter Shikari release their third album, ‘A Flash Flood Of Colour’ in early 2012. With Guitars dispatched Chris Storey to get as much info on the first major album release of 2012.
‘A Flash Flood Of Colour’ is the latest by Enter Shikari. It’s an urgent state-of-the-world address, an impassioned call to arms, an empowering liberation transmission aimed at the head, heart and hips. It’s an album about community, about love and friendship, about self-determination and self-respect.
Co-produced by the band and Dan Weller (Young Guns, Gallows) in Bang Saray, Thailand and London, England during May and June in 2011. With mixed in Vancouver, Canada by Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Metallica, Biffy Clyro).
"’A Flash Flood Of Colour’ is Enter Shikari’s third full-length studio album; the follow-up to 2009’s acclaimed ‘Common Dreads’. An incandescent snapshot of the modern age – of globalisation and recession, repression and protest, commerce and control, activism and engagement – it’s music for a newly jolted generation, a soundtrack for the mosh-pit, the dance floor and the front lines." States the press release, I could not sum up the album in any better way, but my mind is on all things 2012 and Enter Shikari’s third instalment.
‘A Flash Flood Of Colour’ is 11 tracks of adrenalised, beats-heavy punk rock-dubstep-hardcore-metal-ambient-techno-noisecore, custom-built to shake foundations. I was tempted to call them a Soundclash band, which like Sonic Boom Six they are, but with so many direct influences, it better to lay them all down, if you want to explain the sound of Enter Shikari.
Preceded by first single ‘Sssnakepit’, (No. 27 in With Guitars Festive 50 end of year feature, www.withguitars.com/the-2011-festive-50/) a mind-melding amalgam of old school drum and bass and thrillingly propulsive disortopunk riffing which Zane Lowe immediately hailed as his Hottest Record upon its September 2011 release.
From the stirring wake-up call of opening track System… (‘Our generation’s got to fight to survive…’) through to the atmospheric, emotive kiss-off of Constellations (both an optimistic signpost to a brighter tomorrow and Rou’s open-hearted ‘thank you’ to the people, books, records and films that have shaped and guided Shikari on their journey thus far), A Flash Flood Of Colour throws up a dizzying, kaleidoscopic range of moods, tones and hues. Enter Shikari are: Rou Reynolds (Vocals / electronics), Rory Clewlow (Guitar / backing vocals), Chris Batten (Bass / vocals), Rob Rolfe (Drums).
Chris Storey talks to lead-singer Rou Reynolds about future singles, first impressions, the third album and flying drum-kits!
I’ve just had the pleasure of listening to Ghandi Mate, Ghandi. It sounds great, are you guys please with the results?
"Yeah we are! it was a lot of fun to record, we just went all out for that one, it defiantly one of the most ridiculous songs on the album, it has so many sections that sound completely different it’s like 4 songs for the price of 1! (ha-ha)”
“…playing a big venue with a high stage and loads of security and stuff, it’s a bit like being an animal in a zoo with people looking at you through the bars, where as playing a little venue with a low stage and no crowd barrier or anything, it’s like all being in the cage together." - Rou Reynolds, in support of more intermit venues.
Since the first album you have always linked the electronic side of the band into the music, it seems to be getting featured more and more as the bang progresses, can it be difficult to incorporate it sometimes?
"well sonically it can be hard to fit heavy guitars and electronics into the same "space" within the mix, they can often take up a lot of the same areas of the frequency spectrum, so we try to consider that when synth parts. but musically its never really a problem, it’s just another instrument at the end of the day, and it’s not a fixed sound like a guitar, drums or bass, it’s a blank canvas every time, so u can really sculpt any sound you like to work with a track."
When you guys come up with ideas for songs is it a matter of it doesn’t matter how out there an idea may be you still try it out?
"Yeah totally, we never worry about how strange or "out there" it sounds, as long as we like it, we’ll use it. you can’t be scared of what other people will think, or you will never move forward."
Besides the UK dates set for next year are there any other tour dates to be announced or any festival appearances?
"Hopefully we’ll do a load of European festivals… but there’s nothing really confirmed yet apart from Rock Am Ring and Rock I’m Park in Germany."
What can fans expect from your live shows?, We all know you give it all you have on stage but will there be any Motley Crue flying drum kit antics on stage?
"Ha-ha, hopefully! I’m sure Rob would be well up for flying around the venue playing drums, in fact so would I to be honest!"
I remember seeing you play a set at a little dive in Newcastle only a matter of years ago. How does it feel to now be playing massive venues?
"Sometimes when I go on stage and it’s a huge venue full of our fans, I take a moment to stop and try and appreciate just how far we have come from the old days. it’s easy to take anything for granted when you do it a lot, but it still feels amazing. we will always love playing little venues as well though, I can’t ever see us not doing that, it a very different vibe – playing a big venue with a high stage and loads of security and stuff, it’s a bit like being an animal in a zoo with people looking at you through the bars, where as playing a little venue with a low stage and no crowd barrier or anything, it’s like all being in the cage together."
What can we expect from the new album ‘A Flash Flood Of Colour’?
"Everything we have done for the last 2 albums, and more. a lot of the feedback we have got so far has been really amazing, it seems like people who liked the first album but not the second seem excited and people who liked the second album but not the first seem really excited too, but there are so many more new ideas and sounds in AFFOC that people haven’t heard yet. we are all very excited for the release."
Although the album hasn’t even been released yet, have any songs been written or have any ideas been put out there for the album after this one?
"Yeah, we always have a massive backlog of ideas for songs. if we wanted to, we could probably just spend all our time in a studio constantly releasing music, but then we wouldn’t get to tour, so I doubt that will ever happen 
"
March 2012
16th – LONDON - Borderline
17th – EDINBURGH – Corn exchange
18th – HULL – University
19th – MANCHESTER – Apollo
20th – WOLVERHAMPTON – Civic Hall
22nd – PLYMOUTH – Pavilions
23rd – LONDON – Hammersmith Apollo
Really good read!! Keep up the good work!!