When the black death struck Europe in the mid-1300’s it was devastating. Maybe there was something in the air. Maybe it was punishment from an angry God. People died. They weren’t ready. They tried to protect themselves with sweet-smelling herbs, they held up charms, and they called the priests. They had no idea what they were in for. In many ways this could apply to Knife Bride and their new EP ‘Sorry About The Plague’.
Speaking of things sweeping across Europe, destroying everything in their path, Knife Bride have just returned from a tour on the continent supporting Svalbard. This isn’t as simple as it sounds, they occupy a slightly strange position. They have an established social media presence, a scattering of singles, strong word-of-mouth, but not all that much music.
Until now the band has had no clear identity. There was no story. These five songs remedy that. Imagine where Architects were headed on ‘For Those Who Wish To Exist’ and continue along that path. That’s the sound, similar to newcomers Gore. It’s a holistic blend of ideas, a hybrid; indebted to metal rather than contaminated by it, setting them apart from many of their peers.
Fittingly for an EP framed around the bubonic plague the songs are frequently blistering. The guitars on ‘Alone At The Altar’ are a cocktail of thick punches and screaming harmonics designed to give you friction burns while the breathless riffing and high tempo of ‘Crucify’ will leave you scorched. The song’s sound fits very neatly with the lyric “I’m in the business of destroying everything,” especially when the slow breakdown hits with the force of a derailed freight train, crumpling the song around it. ‘Porcelain’ shares a similar slow, djent-style breakdown but is built around nasty stabby little riffs which shows off their songwriting skills in a completely different way.
Relatively speaking, the EP’s first half is heavier while the second is more expansive. The luscious opening to ‘Lillies’ evolves into shuffling electric sounds and snakelike hisses, while ‘Poisoned By God’ uses slow, watery keyboard notes to give it an expansive depth, making for a suitably epic closer.
As the kids say, vocalist Mollie Clack is “sick.” She performs with the confidence and style of a pop singer. On the opening track she works really hard to give the chorus a real catchy hook but on every song her style is as assured as it is varied. On ‘Lilies’ she takes on a theatrical edge, leaning on the word “darkness” to give it an unusual form and following the music as it descends into madness. It feels effortless and inspired. Lyrically ‘Alone At The Altar’ has slightly unfortunate subtext, as it is easy to read as being about Covid, or an STD, but it’s a great song either way. It’s a great EP.
Spread the word. Knife Bride’s new EP is like the plague; it’s vicious, life-changing and so infectious your ears might fall off.
IAN KENWORTHY