Reign of Terror (Sleigh Bells album)
Reign of Terror | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 21, 2012 | |||
Recorded | June 25 – October 31, 2011 | |||
Genre | Noise pop, pop metal | |||
Length | 36:24 | |||
Label | Mom+Pop | |||
Producer | Derek E. Miller | |||
Sleigh Bells chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Reign of Terror | ||||
|
Reign of Terror is the second studio album by American noise pop duo Sleigh Bells. The album was released on February 21, 2012 by Mom+Pop.[1][2]
Following the critical success of their debut album Treats, Sleigh Bells started writing new material for their next album while on tour for their debut album, and recorded it over the course of five months in 2011. While Treats used a mixture of guitars and beats that eschewed pop song structures for their overall sound, Reign of Terror emphasized more guitar sounds that follow structures with emotionally heavy lyrics.
The album received a generally positive reception from critics. Reign of Terror debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200 and spawned only one single: "Comeback Kid". To promote the album, Sleigh Bells toured across North America and Europe.
Writing and recording
The writing process for Reign of Terror began during the touring cycle for Sleigh Bells' debut album
Sleigh Bells were rushed during the production of Treats and were unable to finish recording all of the songs they had written before they had to leave the studio to perform at scheduled tour dates. Not wanting to repeat this mistake, the duo set aside a lot of time in 2011 to record and produce Reign of Terror.[6] Recording began on June 25, 2011[6] at SMT Studios in Manhattan, New York.[2] The album was produced by Miller[5] and engineered by Shane Stoneback, who also worked with Sleigh Bells on Treats.[2] At SMT, Miller recorded his guitar parts in a reverberation room to achieve a "massive Def Leppard-influenced guitar sound."[2] Sleigh Bells also recorded a group of their friends stomping and clapping in the bleachers of a high school gym for the song "Crush" and other songs.[2][7]
The album starts with cheering and what seems to be Krauss speaking at a live performance, although the recording was created in the studio. Krauss explained that "we wanted to create something that was really anthemic, and for it to sound like we recorded it in an arena...we just wanted to come in with something really bombastic, something that was announcing our return, something that was confident and a bit playful for sure."[8] Miller told Westword that "if you don't start cracking up when you hear the stadium crowd fade in, then we're not doing our job. It's supposed to be funny. It's such an ambitious, arrogant, tasteless way to start a record, but if you know that there's a wink and a nudge with it, I think it works perfectly. We actually did a test because we didn't know if we wanted to start the record that way, so we just brought in a bunch of different friends separately. After the fifth or sixth one started cracking up within the first ten seconds, we knew that we had it."[7]
Less than two months after the release of Reign of Terror, Sleigh Bells already began writing a follow-up album. "[Reign of Terror] made me feel like we had so much more to do. I definitely didn't hear it and think, 'Okay, I'm satisfied.' I heard it and I thought, 'We didn't have to stop recording—we could do this, this, and this, right now.' So I feel like we made a very good record, but I want very much to continue to the next phase of our development," Krauss said.[9] A few unused demos and ideas from the Reign of Terror sessions, such as the instrumental track used in the album's trailer, could become part of the band's third studio album.[9]
Artwork
The cover art for Reign of Terror features a dirty, bloody pair of white
The remaining images in the album's liner notes are all related to Miller's family history—namely, a number of war relics from his grandparents. Most of the imagery is also a reflection of Miller's difficult year preceding the album. "Reign of Terror is mainly about internal conflict and—this is kind of corny—I was definitely at war with myself," Miller said. The image of the Purple Heart, also used as the cover art for the promotional single "Born to Lose", was awarded to Miller's grandfather for being wounded in World War II.[10] The medal also loosely relates to the passing of his father. "It was just a really terrible, painful experience and of course a Purple Heart is something you receive after you are wounded in service. I'm not drawing a direct comparison, but the thought occurred to me," Miller said.[10] His grandfather was shot in the leg during the war, but the bullet first traveled through his canteen. This canteen seen with the bullet hole, along with the American flag he was awarded, are also featured in Reign of Terror's liner notes.[10] One picture that was featured in the album's liner notes that isn't a war relic is a photograph of a burning sugar cane field, which also serves as the cover art for the "Comeback Kid" single. This image is meant to represent Miller's father who used to work as a sugar cane farmer.[10]
Promotion
On December 2, 2011 Sleigh Bells posted a trailer for Reign of Terror on their official website. The video was a compilation of various clips including Alexis Krauss sitting at a vanity mirror brushing her hair, live performances of Sleigh Bells and home videos of the group in the studio.[11][12] The instrumental guitar track for the trailer was an unused demo from the Reign of Terror sessions.[9]
The promotional single "Born to Lose" was available for streaming online on December 15, 2011.[13] The first official single from Reign of Terror, "Comeback Kid", was released as a free download from iTunes for those who pre-order the full album,[14][15] and as a stand-alone download on January 17, 2012. The music video for "Comeback Kid" was filmed in Derek Miller's home town of Jupiter, Florida. Scenes were shot in Miller's old neighborhood, his mom's room and the local grocery store.[16][17]
A
Leading up to Reign of Terror's release date, Sleigh Bells went on an eight-day mini-tour of Florida with the
The stage production for early tours in support of Reign of Terror was described by Miller as being, "so dark that it's hard to see the crowd."
Reception
Critical
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Consequence of Sound | [34] |
The Guardian | [35] |
MSN Music (Expert Witness) | A−[36] |
NME | 8/10[37] |
Paste | 6.7/10[38] |
Pitchfork | 8.2/10[39] |
Rolling Stone | [3] |
Slant Magazine | [40] |
Prior to the album's release, several publications listed Reign of Terror as an anticipated release for the first part of 2012 including Spin, Time, Metacritic and NPR.[41][42][43][44] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 77 based on 38 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[31]
Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone noted that the duo make tweaks to well-known rock genres from different eras in their tracks, saying that they "bring a proudly aggressive sass to all the heavily treated guitars – now that they've proven they can get away with such a massive sound, they're out to see what tricks they can do with it."[3] Priya Elan of NME praised the different styles the duo delve into that recall dark films and gothic music, concluding that, "[T]he way they’ve leapfrogged their contemporaries in terms of ambition and scope is terrifying. Sleigh Bells are, once again, in a league of their own."[37] Matthew Cole of Slant Magazine praised the duo for following their debut with a more amplified continuation of the formula they set themselves, saying that "they've met the sophomore slump head-on, fists and guitars raised, and made something like a respectable pop album."[40]
AllMusic's Heather Phares said that while Miller and Krauss increased the qualities that made their debut a success with a polished sheen, she felt that the metal elements become unbalanced when the guitar riffs get louder, concluding that "Reign of Terror ends up being a fatiguing reminder of how remarkable a feat Treats was. Sleigh Bells may have topped themselves here, but it's a case of more being less."[32] Dan Weiss of Paste noted that the album lacked the hip-hop element their debut had that gave those songs energy along with the metal elements, concluding that "Reign of Terror plays like a band with original ideas who got stuck in quicksand."[38]
Michael Hann of
The album was listed 24th on Stereogum's list of top 50 albums of 2012.[45]
Commercial
Reign of Terror was anticipated to sell 30,000 copies in the first week and landed at number six on
Track listing
All lyrics are written by
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "True Shred Guitar" | 2:20 |
2. | "Born to Lose" | 3:53 |
3. | "Crush" | 3:19 |
4. | "End of the Line" | 3:38 |
5. | "Leader of the Pack" | 2:43 |
6. | "Comeback Kid" | 3:00 |
7. | "Demons" | 3:03 |
8. | "Road to Hell" | 3:21 |
9. | "You Lost Me" | 4:30 |
10. | "Never Say Die" | 3:40 |
11. | "D.O.A." | 2:57 |
Personnel
Reign of Terror album personnel adapted from liner notes.[50]
Sleigh Bells
- Alexis Krauss – vocals
- Derek Miller – all instruments
Production
- Derek Miller – production
- Shane Stoneback – mixing, engineering
- Ryan Primack– assistant engineer
- Steve Fallone – mastering
Artwork
- Derek Miller – art direction
- Steve Attardo – layout, design
- Joe Garrad – photography
Charts
Chart (2012) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[51] | 33 |
Belgian Heatseekers Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[52] | 13 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[53] | 35 |
Irish Albums (IRMA)[54] | 64 |
UK Albums (OCC)[55] | 48 |
US Billboard 200[56] | 12 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[57] | 1 |
US | 2 |
US | 3 |
References
- Pitchfork Media. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
- ^ Spin Media. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
- ^ Wenner Media. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
- ^ Greenwald, David (December 2, 2011). "Sleigh Bells Tease 'Heavy' Sophomore Album". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
- ^ Viacom. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
- ^ Wenner Media. Archived from the originalon May 14, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
- ^ a b Murphy, Tom. "Derek Miller of Sleigh Bells: "I just wanted it to sound like a gang of ferocious women."". Westword. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
- ^ Fossum, Melissa. "Sleigh Bells' Alexis Krauss: "Everytime We Get Onstage, I See It As a Fight We Have to Win"". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
- ^ a b c Carlick, Stephen (April 11, 2012). "Alexis Krauss Speaks Up About Sleigh Bells' Longevity and Their Third Album". Exclaim!. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- Viacom. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
- Spin Media. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
- Spin Media. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
- Pitchfork Media. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
- Spin Media. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
- ^ a b Tully, Jonathan (February 8, 2012). "Sleigh Bells' guitarist celebrates South Florida home in band's new video". PB Pulse. The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved February 14, 2012.[permanent dead link]
- Pitchfork Media. Retrieved January 24, 2012.
- Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
- ^ a b Sleigh Bells Unleash Explosive Diplo Remix, 'Demons' Video | SPIN | SPIN Mix | Songs. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
- ^ a b Sleigh Bells Share "Demons" Video, Diplo Remix | News | Pitchfork. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
- Spin Media. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ Duran, Jose D. (December 7, 2011). "Diplo, Sleigh Bells Florida Tour Stops at Grand Central February 14". Miami New Times. Village Voice Media. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
- ^ Wenner Media. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
- Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- Pitchfork Media. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
- Spin Media. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ A. H. Belo. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- Wenner Media. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ Murphy, Tom (April 12, 2012). "Derek Miller of Sleigh Bells: 'I just wanted it to sound like a gang of ferocious women.'". Westword. Village Voice Media. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
- ^ CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
- ^ All Media Network. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
- ^ Alternative Press. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
- Consequence of Sound. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
- ^ a b Hann, Michael (February 16, 2012). "Review: Reign of Terror". The Guardian. Retrieved February 19, 2012.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (March 2, 2012). "Sleigh Bells/Cloud Nothings". MSN Music. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
- ^ IPC Media. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ Wolfgang's Vault. Retrieved June 4, 2012.
- Pitchfork Media. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
- ^ a b Cole, Matthew (February 18, 2012). "Review: Reign of Terror". Slant Magazine. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- Spin Media. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
- Time Warner. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
- CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
- ^ NPR Staff (December 29, 2011). "2012 Winter Music Preview". NPR. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
- Spin Media. December 5, 2012. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
- Billboard.biz. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the originalon May 2, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
- ^ "Billboard 200: The Week of March 10, 2012". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
- All Media Network. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
- Viacom. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
- Mom+Pop. 2012. MP050–2.)
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link - ^ "Australiancharts.com – Sleigh Bells – Reign of Terror". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
- ^ "Sleigh Bells – Reign of Terror". Ultratop (in Dutch). Retrieved March 3, 2012.
- ^ "Top 100 Albums in Canada". Jam!. February 29, 2012. Archived from the original on December 26, 2004. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
- ^ "Sleigh Bells Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
- ^ "Sleigh Bells Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
- ^ "Sleigh Bells Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
- ^ "Sleigh Bells Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
External links
- Reign of Terror (Adobe Flash) at Myspace (streamed copy where licensed)
- Reign of Terror mixtape at Spin (selection of songs that influenced Derek Miller on Reign of Terror)