ROYAL BLOOD Vinyl & CDs

Review: Royal Blood have had two UK number one albums, have sold over two million copies ad picks du pa global and critical fan base. They managed to blow all expectations out of the water last year with their 'Trouble's Coming' release and now the new album does it again. It has big riffs from Mike Kerr, vocals that range from raw and rock ready to more tender and soulful and grooves that can be hyper aggressive or more comforting. It's a real roller coaster ride that finishes with a rather surprising piano ballad. But then again, what would a Royal Blood record be without a surprise.

Review: Royal Blood's debut was a smash hit, and its globe-conquering success notably hasn't led them to make an avant-jazz record for this follow-up, nor to stray too far from the amp-abusing template it set out. Nor indeed does this record live up to its title, despite spending much of its 35-minute duration chronicling the downfall of a relationship, Nonetheless, the Brightonian duo remain possessed of testosterone-driven power and brass-knuckle boisterousness to slay ten lesser bands, and 'How Did We Get so Dark?' is another masterclass in the creation of riffs big enough to fill a canyon.