Skindred – Volume CD (Napalm Records)
Kicking things off with recent single, the groovetastic ‘Under Attack’, Skindred go straight for the throat and then throttle you to death with some primetime, pumpin ragga-metal. At times there’s an almost Faith No More-ish vibe to the songs (and on the vocals of title track chorus) with a smidgeon of Rage Against The Machine on the riffs; but when you add in Benji’s distinctive patter it takes it to a completely different zone. ‘Shut Ya Mouth’ demonstrates the bands ragga/reggae roots, which pop up intermittently throughout the rest of the album, with ‘Saying It Now’ showcasing the bands more commercial side. The electronica influence that was so obvious on the bands last album (‘Kill The Power’) is definitely toned down this time around which might be good news for some, but bad for others, while the aggressive ‘No Justice’ is probably one of the heaviest/punked up tracks the band have ever done. 14 tracks of quality (although three are kinda dub interludes). Ian Pickens