Enter Shikari - Mothership
Self-Released - 2006
By Brandon Strader
Wow, what a surprise. This is a one-song single, only 4 minutes and 50 seconds long. I was really expecting it to be pop or hip hop, and the synth bloops at the beginning backed up that idea a bit, however hardcore screams that soon entered completely changed the perspective.
Enter Shikari is an awesome self-produced "pop hardcore" band. That genre probably looks bad on paper, but you've really got to hear it before you judge. The clean vocals are extremely well done, and the keyboard strings and synth bloops really add to the song a lot. Half way through the guitarists start ripping it up with a tapping lead that sounds totally melodic. The music is extremely catchy, yet heavy at times, too.
I can't say I had ever heard hardcore fused with pop. I'd heard metalpop before, but this really takes the cake. The production is surprisingly good with a great mix and mastering job. The rhythm guitars sound like a tiny bit of higher-end could have done them well, but they're really good nonetheless. Singles really aren't worth distributing and sending around unless they're really good, or the band is especially popular... Well I've never heard of
Enter Shikari but they appear to be extremely popular on MySpace... Also, "Mothership" went above and beyond all expectations I had for this single. I can't wait to hear a full-length from these guys!
9/10
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