We’ve been talking a lot about UK’s The Fades throughout 2012 and the payoff is finally here as their first proper album, Ragnarok, is finally released. Soon. It’s not out yet. But we’ve heard it, and it’s killer. Soundgarden, Queens of the Stone Age, The Clash, Sex Pistols, early Killing Joke. It’s all in there. And ridiculously cohesive.
You’d think that after releasing as diverse singles as they have up til now there wouldn’t be any more surprises and that’s where you’d be wrong. From the opening bombast and subsequent low end of “Be Your Man” it’s apparent that The Fades have so many more tricks up there sleeves. “I Don’t Wanna” is a straight up rocker with an easy on the ears chorus that segues nicely into the one and only hypnotic single that started it all, “Meccano”. In contrast to the trance “Meccano” creates,”Make Me Famous” just screams from the beginning through to the chorus underscored by dueling guitars that cut some riffs reminiscent of Megadeth or Metallica.
Throwing fans another curve is the slowed down groove of “But I Love You” as Dave Lightfoot gets his sexy on amidst some sick guitar solos courtesy of Jonny Barnard. If you follow the band, you’ll recognize a lot of the latter half of Ragnarok as “Joy”, Foot In Your Mouth”, and “I Love Punk Rock” all make appearances here leading to the downright epic closer “Ragnarok”. Hands down, one of the most diverse yet cohesive albums of 2012, Ragnarok is destined to be the one that puts The Fades on the map.
Ragnarok is out on October 1st. Find out where you can get yours here.
Grade: A+
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Single Play (Week of 1/13/13) | Popdose says:
Jan 14, 2013
[…] sister site, Popblerd, has been so enthusiastic about this band since last year. Like many on the Popdose staff, I get my fair share of review offers from publicists, and so it […]