Royal Blood
by Royal Blood
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
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  1. Kerrang!
    Sep 16, 2014
    100
    At it's best, it's a thing of beauty. But if the duo's choruses set the gold standard, it's the riffs that are worth their weight in platinum. [23 Aug 2014, p.54]
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  2. Classic Rock Magazine
    Dec 18, 2014
    90
    It never lags. [Sep 2014, p.95]
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  3. Drowned In Sound
    Aug 26, 2014
    90
    A tight bind of rhythm and noise, of chugging menace and sudden spikes.
  5. Rock Sound
    Sep 8, 2014
    80
    With barely a weak song in sight, the Brighton duo have delivered a collection of tracks of taut, visceral quality.
  6. Clash Music
    Sep 3, 2014
    80
    Every track is excellent, ruthless, relentless.
  7. Q Magazine
    Aug 28, 2014
    80
    The thrilling racket of their live show has been sanded down but not blunted. [Sep 2014, p.110]
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  8. AllMusic
    Aug 25, 2014
    80
    There is little time for respite during their breezy debut album that bridges the gap between heavy-hitting rock and digestible pop/rock.
  9. DIY Magazine
    Aug 21, 2014
    80
    Even with a debut album, their ascent has been so steep the opening salvo feels like a premature greatest hits.
  10. New Musical Express (NME)
    Aug 21, 2014
    80
    There's light, shade and careful nuance throughout.
  11. PopMatters
    Sep 23, 2014
    70
    There’s heft and muscle to these songs (or, yes, “song”) and the album is a good taster for what these guys must sound like live.
  12. Mojo
    Sep 12, 2014
    60
    There are moments where the duo sounds unfortunately like Muse. Yet for the largest part, this collection of tightly wound, riff-oriented rock makes for an exciting debut. [Oct 2014, p.90]
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  13. The Guardian
    Aug 21, 2014
    60
    Peel back the early 00s rock (the Vines, Death from Above, riffs that lurch like Jack White drunk at a saloon bar) and there are quavering vocals that add texture to their stodgy sound, too.
  14. The Line of Best Fit
    Aug 21, 2014
    60
    Royal Blood’s debut is an easily digestible, unfortunately thin-sounding, slightly disappointing rock record and an exciting, fresh, invigorating pop record both at the same time.
  15. The Observer (UK)
    Aug 21, 2014
    60
    Direct and austere, there is little fat here.
  16. Pitchfork
    Sep 16, 2014
    56
    It’s the pro-forma songwriting that transpires between those brontosaurus blasts that ultimately proves problematic. By using their muscular might to prop up otherwise featherweight tunes, Royal Blood have effectively built themselves a castle and furnished it with IKEA.

Awards & Rankings

50
#50 Most Discussed Album of 2014
3
#3 Most Shared Album of 2014

User Reviews

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User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 148 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 138 out of 148
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 148
  3. Negative: 4 out of 148
  1. Adamski
    Aug 30, 2014
    9
    A hard, sexy collection. The perfect length for excessive replays, this duo take hard bluesy rawk to new levels of intensity. Thrills andA hard, sexy collection. The perfect length for excessive replays, this duo take hard bluesy rawk to new levels of intensity. Thrills and spills of the purest kind.… Full Review »
  2. Dilara
    Nov 24, 2014
    9
    After a tough year of listening to songs about butts this was exactly what our ears needed. Let's just go back to some raw rock with amazingAfter a tough year of listening to songs about butts this was exactly what our ears needed. Let's just go back to some raw rock with amazing bluesy feeling. The bass riffs are outstanding and are have amazing sound and feeling. I was amazed that a bass could be such an original substitute for a lead guitar.

    Overall, this gem proves that rock has in fact not died. It gives us something fresh, because it gets rid of the bland-sounding indie rock bands that watered down the general sound of rock music. The duo is basically giving a big middle finger to goody-goody indie/hipster bands such as Imagine Dragons, fun. and Bastille.

    A solid album and an instant classic.    … Full Review »
  3. MarkBeaumont
    Sep 16, 2014
    3
    This is what happens when you strip music of any personality, any real sentiment. You get music which is purely aesthetics for aestheticsThis is what happens when you strip music of any personality, any real sentiment. You get music which is purely aesthetics for aesthetics sake. Mannequin music. Something to hang your old studded leather jacket on. If hearing rock guitar riffs to placate your sense of nostalgia is all you hope to gain from music, this is perfect. The musical equivalent of a getty images stock photograph. Its a pointless exercise. The fact that it got a mercury nomination is astounding.

    Its top 40 pop for people who don't feel comfortable listening to top 40 pop.

    If all it takes for you to be excited about new music is the simple, decades old distorted riff, then you're probably not much into music. Don't bother with this, you might as well listen to the albums that Royal Blood listen too.    … Full Review »
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