For The Masses

This album is amazing in its simplicity. It basically relies on three aspects. Firstly James Smith spits out his vocals with unbridled venom unlike anything you have heard from him before. The singles `Turn the Lights Out' and `M.A.D' were just a hint of what he has in store on this album. `Ugly' is the prime example of how much the vocals and the lyrics bite, but another vicious example can be found on `Mic Check'.

On top of this new level of aggression there is a serious addition of some very raw baselines and excessively energetic drums. `Bombshock' demonstrates both very well and is a really strong track that will guarantee a few bruises and ringing ears when it is played live. Elsewhere opener `Rebirth' offers up bass like a statement of intent and more violence to come, whereas `Play the Night' offers a devastating break after saw like guitars introduce the track in ominous style.

Throughout the album there are also some really nice synth sections which have grown in their maturity from the simple yet effective Nintendo influenced offerings of the first album. Throughout the aspect of the music is used principally as a supporting rather than leading section, but in that respect it is very important. Too many things competing for attention would detract from all of them. The synths are therefore used to add to depth, flow and variation to the tracks, which is a very effective trick. One track however that has a very strong synth section is closer `Lost' which has moments of scratching and fidgeting synth that push and drive the track but it then is used to ultimately end the album in a calm and euphoric manner.

The highlights in my opinion are those tracks which balance all these aspects well. `Evil' is impressively intense and it seriously kicks if you are not ready for it. `Ugly', `Mic Check' and `Play the Night also offer all three in various excessively energetic forms.

If the first album was a rave then this is a riot, and there's no escaping once you press play. Some mention must also be made of Noisia's influence on the production but it really is Hadouken's triumph in the end. This is the future of dance-rock and it couldn't really sound much better.

Originally from Leeds - destined for the World,
Hadouken! make a big noise and manage it well.

This talented five-piece comprise : James Smith/vocals;
Daniel Rice/guitar+synth; Alice Spooner/keyboards;
Christopher Purcell/bass+synth and Nick Rice/drums.
Together they have imagination, flair and energy aplenty.

The ten tracks which comprise their second album
'For The Masses' would, with little doubt, have a
large dance floor audience on its feet in seconds.

This is blisteringly fierce rhythmic mayhem and it's fun!

Mr Smith is a fine front man. He possesses a strong
pair of lungs, the better to spit out the material's
abrasive lyrical ideas.

Crikey! It's hard to pick the winners out of this bag.
It's all good but the album's highlights would have to include:
opening track 'Rebirth', which bursts into the listening world
like an express train, bristling with dark choral confusion and
raw and rasping rhythms (I'm quite certain the synths have teeth!;
'House Is Falling', whose thundering riffs and yell-along refrain
are totally addictive (Mr Smith delivers his most musical vocal
performance of the set on this one); 'Mic Check' is a funny and
uplifting floor-filler; 'Bombshock' recalls The Prodigy at their
elemental best and the epic soundscape of 'Lost' concludes the
project on a hands-in-the air high.

This is primal stuff. Not for the faint-hearted. Life enhancing!

Essential.

I only post reviews on products/things I feel are exceptional, this is one of those album's that will have you listening to it exclusively for months.

I enjoyed every single song on the album, the combination of addictive rhythm, bass and aggressive lyrics makes for some of the best music you will hear to date. For me its a mix between Prodigy and older Pendulum songs. Unlike Pendulum though Hadouken dont rinse and repeat the same drum and tune in every single song. They clearly arent afraid to be original and try new things.

Main stream reviewers are giving this an average of 4 out of 10 stars, why? because theyre over analysing the lyrics. There's nothing wrong with the lyrics theyre just not deep and meaningful, and why should they be - if you want deep and meaningful lyrics then you're listening to the wrong genre. This is about feeling and it feels gooooooood.