Concept albums are very dangerous beasts. They can go one of two ways and often hit both extremes. And when you’re a band like Gallows, a band who came literally out of nowhere to major labels, the front cover of magazines and even pin-up boys, the pressure to deliver is immense. Not that they care; I’m pretty sure Frank and co couldn’t give a fuck as to whether people buy this record or whether they ‘get’ it or not. But a concept album is where the band have gone for their ‘difficult’ second album and it works very well. At times the band expand on the sound that drenched ‘Orchestra of Wolves’, while at others they ditch it completely and go in a totally different direction. They’ve avoided going all commercial on us, yet haven’t disappeared into a wall of noise either.
For those who aren’t aware, Gallows divided the underground by going from an indie to Warner Bros quicker than Usain Bolt on a dash to the finish line. Fame and (well maybe not so much) fortune followed as they became media darlings for one reason or another. As they toured the last record relentlessly all over the world, the globe started to get a little bit fucked. Gallows response is ‘Grey Britain’, a pissed off look at how this country has gone to the dogs. It slams the BNP, it slams politicians, it slams people generally. It’s a pissed off record, but that’s hardly a surprise. There were rumours that Warners shat themselves when they first heard this record because it was too heavy and not commercial enough. That’s not the case at all. It’s not a pop record, but the production is thicker than before. Everything sounds and flows better; the riffs on ‘Black Eyes‘ sound chunky as Hell but are pretty clean cut. But just when you think the band have stuck to the rulebook they throw in some moments where you think…’did they just do that?’! There are orchestral parts, sound effects, acoustic moments…elements you just wouldn’t expect. The singalongs on ‘I Dread The Night’, the acoustic beginning to ‘The Vulture Acts I and II’…all totally different yet all work so very well.
Of course what sets Gallows apart from so many other bands is Frank’s delivery and it’s as good as ever on ‘Grey Britain’. At times on the first record he just screamed and spat his way through for the sheer sake of it, but you cannot level that accusation this time round. Touring has made this band a much more refined beast as Frank sings, shouts, bellows, screams and everything in between. But it works so well; there are few moments where the passion and energy in the delivery is overcooked. Ditto the guitars and the riffs, which while a lot bigger and fatter sounding don’t just chuck riffs and breakdowns out for the sake of it.
Will this record be as big a ‘hit’ as ‘Orchestra of Wolves’? Probably not. This is arguably the better record, but with the element of surprise gone I don’t think Gallows can expect to get the same kind of attention this time round. Suffice to say this is a great record. It’s angry, it’s heavy and it has something to say. And at a time when musicians should be singing about issues which are affecting millions of people right now, hopefully this will inspire other bands to pick up their instruments and wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Paul