Newsflash From St. Albans

So.
In variety to my usual Linkin Park ramblings, I'd like to introduce you to one of my other favorite bands to listen to.

Enter Shikari.

Who are Enter Shikari and why are they here on my blog?
I'm not Wikipedia, so I won't be quoting their full profile here. I'm writing solely as a fan, and this post isn't just going to be a copy-paste piece just to fill the pages. Naah.

It all started in a dull evening of March 2012. As usual, I was browsing through the internet, and during that moment I (and my internet modem, apparently) was (were) in a good mood to surf YT for some music videos. Beginning with some channels I was already familiar with, I glanced at the "Featured Videos" section at the right side of the screen, and decided to give those videos some tries.

And there it was. Enter Shikari - Arguing With Thermometers.

Been a fan of "rock music" as I were, the name Enter Shikari sounds kinda familiar. They have been featured in a magazine I like to read for quite some time. Kerrang. If you knew. This K! mag usually features variety of bands that I'm fond of; the kinds of Linkin Park, My Chem Romance, Rise Against, Papa Roach, Sum 41, Avenged Sevenfold -- Goddammit! It feels like I finally found a company. Someone who actually likes THESE bands. Someone who has interest with the EXACT PACK of BANDS that I'm into.

So, seeing the name of the bands that my buddy (K! magazine) recommended just a click away, I gave it a try.

Who knows it would make such a difference.

Arguing With Thermometers.

Two words. Holy. S__t. Just... wow?
Maybe you guys just don't get how I can get so speechless, so appalled over a silly music video like this. But how can't you??
I gotta admit, the word "silly" might describe some aspects in the video pretty well.
See, the vocalist [Rou] dressed as a news reporter -- and later on known as Phillis McCleavland, another persona, in the fanbase (he even has a twitter account!) -- while the bassist [C. Batten] and the guitarist [Rory C] took the role as cameramen. And the drummer? [Rob Rolfe] Weather man. With drums. Gosh, I actually laughed. No, no particular reason as the video was too hilarious to be real, or it sucked so bad, no.

The video starts with a newsflash banner, like, real TV news. During this I wondered how the music would be like... Then, all of a sudden, heavy guitar riff with a thunderous drum beats commence! Followed by Rou's post-hardcore style scream for "THIS IS AN EXPEDITION-" with a generic newsreader straight expression, I dropped my jaws. For a moment, I thought the whole song's gonna be all screamo, but my expectation went wrong.

After the verse scream, the guitar riff slowed down, and replaced by smoother vocal lines (no scream) full of ambiguous critical lyrics with the touch of fast groovy beats. I don't know exactly to describe the atmosphere, I'm not a music critic, but that part sounds very tempting to dance to, to jump around to, to headbang to. Until the lyric "Shackleton is rolling is his grave" stops.

Nonetheless, the sound variety doesn't stop there. The guitar tempo and the drums started to increase rapidly, joining the semi-rap fast-tempered politically aware vocal lines that creates the chaotic atmosphere in your headphones. It feels like Rou was exitting the studio, and suddenly reporting news in an anarchic situation. And don't forget the touch of electronica that continues until the next part where the instruments rest and let the cymbal plays flow.

Followed by sounds-like "boop boop boop" dubstep-ey touch, half-screamed exclamation of "Yeah!" which rate and pressure keeps increasing to a full scream point "you know there's oil in the- ICEEE!". The atmosphere gets chaotic again by the time the bass gets heavy, but Enter Shikari just don't stop. The last three "boop"s opens the gate to the electronica dominance to accompany the lyric "that's a maniac standpoint!" and "psychotic outlook" very fittingly.

The rapid guitar tempo and drum beats repeats again (from the second verse and pre-reff), groovy beats followed by chaotic feels all over again, with a burning, increasing tension just before a line of guitar riffs start rebellious bridge of several "WE'LL TAKE YOU DOWN"s. And a "STAND YOUR GROUND" in which part most instrument paused, just series of guitar lines.

Then the video changed setting. Phillis throwing the papers in the studio, while the full scream point of "You know there's oil in the ICEEEE" echoes in your headphones. Studio gets chaotic. Again. "Yeah! We're all addicted!". Again.

After the nervous wrecking synthesizer plays and serious "boop"s accompanying another "psychotic outlook!", the ear roller-coaster rainbow came to an end by conservative use of guitar and bass and drums played in slow tempo. The lyric "Dig deep." closed the curtain.


So kids, that's how I met the love of my music life. Again. At that moment I fell in love with Enter Shikari. Their music, I mean. I gotta say, after been quite a while, I finally found a band with a new, fresh sound I'm fond of. "Arguing With Thermometers" is just full of variety in its sounds, and the video's pretty brilliant too!

If you ask, my favorite part of the video is when the four of them walked along on the street screaming "We'll take you down!". Oh, and when they make upside-down triangles with their both hands' forefingers and middle fingers, smiling. Oh, and when Rob points the weather forecast background with the drumsticks, and when he slides down his glasses with a "WTF?" expression looking at Phillis going all raging, throwing papers in the studio. MAN! Basically I love all the moments I spend watching this music video.

I'm definitely updating my Top 10 music videos and gonna put this one on #1. Ha.

--

So, what's with the title? In case you're too lazy to Google up, Enter Shikari is a band from St. Albans, UK.


Cheers to Lions!
T.