Sleigh Bells - Reign Of Terror Review

Posted by Wyatt E. on 02.22.2012

Derek Miller and Alexis Krauss return for another go-around, which about sums it up right there.

Robin: you should use the word "midnelofuent" to describe it
Wyatt: That's... not in the dictionary, is it?
Robin: because i just invented it now
it can mean whatever you want it to mean! it is my gift to you
Wyatt: OK
Robin: if you don't like that one you can have magnelofluent instead
it's basically the same thing, but with a g and a couple of l's
rolls a bit easier, i suppose



My friends are weird.





1. True Shred Guitar – 2:20
2. Born to Lose – 3:53
3. Crush – 3:19
4. End of the Line – 3:38
5. Leader of the Pack – 2:43
6. Comeback Kid – 3:00
7. Demons – 3:03
8. Road to Hell – 3:21
9. You Lost Me – 4:30
10. Never Say Die – 3:40
11. D.O.A. – 2:57



For those expecting Sleigh Bells to be a one trick pony, well, Reign Of Terror starts off pretty much like you'd expect... with the addition of crowd noise. On "True Shred Guitar" a simple riff plays over the sound of an adoring crowd, it sorta putters along, and then it ends. If it's supposed to be an intro to pump you up, well, it doesn't - it makes you wonder what the point of that was... until we hear "ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR," the beat hits, the crowd is mixed out, and we get down to business. Sleigh Bells usually go straight for the gut, so that was, uh, unusual. Know what really bugs me here, though? There isn't even any actual shredding.

This is followed quickly by a couple of songs that just sort of live up to the reputation that the band has. Honestly, I feel like the first several minutes of Reign Of Terror kinda stumbles around a bit before it really finds its feet. And boy, does it ever. By "End Of The Line" the album chooses to just ease up on the abrasive-guitars-for-the-hell-of-it approach and goes right for catchy hooks. And that's when we really get started.

So let's get to the album's strengths, then. Firstly, yes, this record is loud as shit, sounding like they took the "loudness war" as a personal challenge. When the band get their grubby hands on a hook, boy, do they ride it out - well, let's face it, they ride every riff out for better or for worse, and anyone who's heard Treats can tell you that. "Leader Of The Pack" is a great example, making up for the fact that it is not, in fact, a Shangri-Las cover. "Comeback Kid" however is awesome, with a simple hip-hop loop allowing the power chords to blaze, even if its choice as the lead single only enforces that it's a musical sister song to "Infinity Guitars," with less emphasis on minimalism.



Unfortunately, when they get a hook that isn't all that great to begin with, like "Demons" and "Crush," the results are tedious at best. It's Sleigh Bells, so most of it is just drunk on its own power anyway and sounds neat, but repeated listens bring to light a few weak tracks. Plus, there's the same problem from Treats: there's lots of lyrics to go around, but the sheer force of the band obscures Alexis Krauss' comparatively kind-hearted vocals to a pleasant contrast to the guitar effects constantly set to GRR ARGH.

Strangely, as Reign Of Terror draws to a close, the pace noticeably slows down with the songs "You Lost Me" and "Never Say Die," songs that establish a decent groove and an attractive sound, but fail to really establish much of a structure over the course of their running times. I'm kind of at a loss as to why they picked this route for a coda to the record: perhaps it's a bid to show off their production technique, but that would make more sense scattered through the album than squeezed in at the end.

The 411: There are a few moments here where they emphasize their poppier side, which is interesting. But when it's all said and done, this has the same pros and cons that Treats had, with the addition of a bit of an anticlimactic finish. Sleigh Bells are definitely still a fun diversion for those who are just fascinated by their method of turning up the volume and yanking off the knob, and they still have a certain charm in their own belligerence. Even then, though, nothing on Reign Of Terror is a significant step forward.

Final Score:  6.0   [ Average ]