Everybody remembers the wonder that was Sleigh Bells first full length Treats back in 2010. The pandemonium inducing guitars and sweet pop vocals made for one of the best albums of that year. With their follow up, Reign of Terror, the band turn in the guitars for Metallica-esqe style sounds without the shredding, inducing a minor thriller, no filler, album that may be the worst of the year so far.

Admittedly, Derek Miller has been through a rough patch, and if you’ve been down that road you understand, but given the musical platform that could have opened up to express the pain; instead, the album becomes a jumbled mess of metal riffs that lack flourish, and passionless lyrics that trade depth for image. If one could put a visual to this album it would be Alexis Krauss walking through a canyon of sound surrounding her, lost without any hope of climbing out.

The albums deepest cut, “Comeback Kid,” is it’s only gratifying track and the one that deals with the tragedy more closely. It’s deepest lyrics: “I know it’s hard, but you gotta deal with it” should have been the albums weakest, but instead is it’s crowning achievement. Other tracks suffer from the “less is not really more” syndrome (next time, listen to some Neil Young and get the hint). All in all it’s just a muddy mess.

Sleigh Bells biggest problem is that it doesn’t want to embrace a side, making for lost music that should have been scrapped. Like two of it’s tracks, “D.O.A.” and “You Lost Me,” that’s exactly what this album will make you think. Hopefully, the band’s next outing will be more focused, otherwise might I suggest parting ways.

Album Rating: Curiosity Will Kill the Cat

Listening Co-efficient: Background Music

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