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CRITIC REVIEWS
90
Front to back, Back To The Water Below is a thrilling album that sees Royal Blood return to the heights of their 2014 eponymous debut. The band sounds refreshed with their teeth sharpened despite having gained a sense of refinement in their songwriting.
2mo
80
The duo's self-produced new album sees them tap back into the undeniable chemistry that they made their name on.
3mo
80
Certainly a more successful attempt at broadening their horizons.
3mo
80
The duo have been touted as the saviours of British rock for the last decade – and they’re still giving it everything they’ve got.
3mo
80
Get over the Big Weekend baggage and there is a very good rock record waiting for you here – and certainly one that deserves to be appreciated by many more than nine people.
3mo
70
It’s a short and snappy experience clocking in at under 30 minutes, but the rising tides of sin and crashing waves of liability make Back To The Water Below the most all-encompassing outing of Royal Blood’s career.
3mo
70
This, Royal Blood’s fourth album, is easily the best since their debut, but there’s still a way to go before they produce an LP as fine as that again.
Print Only
2mo
60
Much preferable are the ballads at the album’s back-end that do offer some divergence: the airy piano-led Waves and the superb glam tinged There Goes My Cool proving arresting antidotes.
Print Only
2mo
60
As their recent on-stage histrionics proved, Royal Blood want to be seen as rock's next great torchbearer. This fourth album says otherwise.
40
The songs were written before the band’s controversial appearance at BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend but it’s hard not to hear them from beneath its shadow.
3mo
NO NUANCE REVIEW
Royal Blood’s music is way too lame to be having egos that big
This band continues to waste their talent by making the most formulaic and basic rock music out there. Limiting themselves to mediocrity over and over again.
It's getting really annoying because I see the potential in them. I think if they went full dance-punk they would kill it. This is evident on tracks like 'Tell Me When It's Too Late' and 'Triggers'. It's also annoying that they continue to keep wearing the sleeves of their influences or bands that sound similar to them like Death From ... read more
I wanted to compare Royal Blood to QOTSA here but I really can’t. Either way, this was pretty much expected from Royal Blood, especially after their little tantrum not long ago. They’re way too full of themselves after their success and it reflects on their music. This was boring, nothing interesting until the last 2 tracks, which are surprisingly nice, but still fail to make me want to return to them, the rest aren’t even close. These big bands are really struggling to ... read more
☆top five☆ [2023]
1. tell me when it's too late
2. triggers
3. high waters
4. waves
5. shiner in the dark
Consistently average rock music, which is fine if you like that style... But I've never been the biggest fan of this rock sound.
Fav Songs: Shiner in the Dark, Pull Me Through, The Firing Line
very boring and the same as before, they desperately need a switch up of something, please
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Track List
| 1 | Mountains at Midnight 3:06 | 69 |
| 2 | Shiner in the Dark 3:27 | 69 |
| 3 | Pull Me Through 3:08 | 66 |
| 4 | The Firing Line 3:22 | 66 |
| 5 | Tell Me When It’s Too Late 2:44 | 76 |
| 6 | Triggers 2:55 | 71 |
| 7 | How Many More Times 3:11 | 64 |
| 8 | High Waters 2:45 | 64 |
| 9 | There Goes My Cool 2:56 | 57 |
| 10 | Waves 3:48 | 71 |
Total Length: 31 minutes
Year End Lists
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2mo
I don't consider myself a metalhead or a metalcore fan, but GOD these songs are TAAAMMMEEEE. Could've used some unclean vocals and breakdowns
2mo
How are people thinking this artwork is THAT good? It's just as mid, generic and without personality as the album itself.
2mo
aoty users when I show them an enjoyable rock record (they can't believe it doesn't innovate the genre!!)
Added on: May 25, 2023