In Reign of Terror's opener, "True Shred Guitar," singer Alexis Krauss repeatedly chants "Push it, push it" over Derek Miller's distorted guitar. Over the course of the album, it is apparent that the lyric represents both the album's strength and crippling weaknesses.
In a sense, Krauss' statement reflects on Sleigh Bell's new direction. The duo's sophomore effort pulls away from the hip-hop infused drums that helped make 2010's Treats a hit, and instead focuses on a more guitar-driven sound.
The new focus gives the team a sound that has a distinctively '80s arena rock feel, a new place the duo seems comfortable in. The pair seems to be referring back to its content in the video for "Comeback Kid," where Miller raises his fist in the air in a reference to The Breakfast Club.
That same sense of nostalgia backfires on Sleigh Bells in this album. The guitar focus puts Miller's skills in the spotlight, and unfortunately, he just doesn't have the chops to carry the album. The fact that this collection clocks in at just less than 40 minutes draws even more concern about his ability.
Miller does have some memorable riffs in Reign of Terror. The guitar's echo-effect and the claps on "Crush" give the track a feeling of power, though not as strong a feeling as the duo's debut. His work on "End of the Line" is equally as addicting. However, it is clear Miller can only do so much with the standard power chords and bends.
Another notable change is the lyrics. The optimistic Krauss that listeners heard in Treats is gone, and in her stead they are presented with a scorned singer. It's weird to think that the same person who asked, "Did you do your best today?" in Treat's "Tell 'Em" could have such disparaging things to say in "Born to Lose."
"Heard you say suicide in your sleep," Krauss sings. "Just get on with it, you were born to lose."
Despite the lyrics, Krauss never sounds melodramatic singing them throughout the album. Her voice stays in a dreamlike state and makes the album's simplistic lyrics effective.
Krauss' vocals would have been more enjoyable if Reign of Terror didn't insist on exploiting it. The overdubbing and echo effects done to her voice sounds grating at times, especially in "Never Say Die" and "Road to Hell." The result gives the release a drowsy feeling instead of a mesmerizing sentiment – a flaw that can make the album hard to listen to in one sitting.
One aspect that made Treats special was that Sleigh Bells sounded bigger than just a duo despite its use of familiar styles. This illusion isn't in Reign of Terror. The band feels like it is locked in some sort of paradigm, instead of actually pushing it.
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Photo: Mhdariby / Wikimedia Commons
