Skarlett Riot's 'Caelestia' - Album Review

It has been quite a while since the Scunthorpe-based four-piece Skarlett Riot was mentioned on this blog in any meaningful capacity. I briefly covered their strong Main Stage-opening set at 2022's iteration of Bloodstock Open Air - but the last release of theirs I covered was the 2016 EP Sentience (which can be read here). 2016 is quite a while ago now and, for whatever reason, I dropped off the Skarlett Riot train not too long after covering Sentience. I remember enjoying Sentience at the time, but I have not heard it for many years - and I also remember thinking that it was not quite as strong as 2015's We Are the Brave, the band's preceding EP. I first came into contact with Skarlett Riot properly in 2014, when I saw them open for Edguy in London. I also saw them twice in 2015, opening for both Gus G. and Kamelot - and I found it strange that Skarlett Riot had seemingly become the go-to opening band for power metal shows, considering that they are not at all a power metal band. I remember trying 2013's Tear Me Down, the band's debut album, not long after seeing them with Edguy - but it did little for me. By the time the 2015 shows came around, though, We Are the Brave was out and it contained some memorable songs. I remember buying the EP at one of the 2015 shows and I ended up listening to it quite a bit - which led to me picking up Sentience. Perhaps the fact that I did not enjoy Sentience as much as We Are the Brave caused my drop-off - but, for whatever reason, I did not listen to Skarlett Riot much at all between 2016 and 2022. As such, I missed out on both 2017's Regenerate and 2021's Invicta - the band's second and third albums. I still followed the band on social media, so I was aware of both, but I had come to the view that, despite enjoying We Are the Brave, they were just not really for me. I have often struggled with modern UK bands who seem very influenced by American post-grunge and what is sometimes called radio rock - but I have generally gotten over this aversion in recent years, and am now big fans of bands like The Fallen State and Stone Broken who could be said to fall into such a sound. In the run up to 2022's Bloodstock, though, I decided it was time to catch back up with Skarlett Riot - so I picked up the albums I missed and found myself enjoying them. They are heavier than anything I remember the band doing in the past - with the injection of some harsh vocals and much more of an overtly metallic sound. I have kept up with the band since Bloodstock, then, and would consider myself a pretty big fan again - so, when it was announced earlier in the year, I pre-ordered the band's fourth album Caelestia, which dropped at the end of October. Sound-wise, the album is not hugely different to the last two - but it is heavier still. Frontwoman Chloe Drinkwater's voice is as easy on the ear as ever, and her occasional heavier screams are well done, but bassist Tim Chambers' harsh vocals have much more of a presence this time - with a bit of a metalcore vibe present throughout the album's 10 songs. It is the band's second album with their current line-up, with guitarist Daniel Oglesby and drummer Luke Oglesby rounding things out.

Lead single Chemicals kicks things off, and the heavier side of Skarlett Riot is deployed right from the off. There is no slow build up here or reliance on pop hooks to draw the listener in - instead a metallic riff and plenty of Chambers' harsh vocals set the tone. Chugging guitars and anthemic drums set the tone during this chaotic intro - whilst a brief pause for breath soon introduces what serves as the main verse riff before Drinkwater starts to sing the strident mid-pace verse with all of her melodic character. The contrast between her voice and Chamber' harsh vocals is a big part of the album's sound. She dominates, but the harsh vocals add plenty of depth - with the verses including some heavier moments due to harsher backing vocals and riffy injections. The chorus is a bit poppier, with a synth sheen adding to the more cinematic, mid-paced guitar pattern - with Drinkwater's melodies memorable from the off. There are plenty of strong choruses on this album, and Chemicals ensure that it starts with a bang. The melodies are pleasing throughout - and a later breakdown section introduces some of the heaviest riffing on the album overall, before both Drinkwater and Chambers scream in unison as the track comes to a close. Spiralling ups the pace, and the faster track opens with a pretty venomous riff - and the overall energy levels are upped from the off. Whilst the song's chorus, which is another very hooky one, is much more mid-paced and, again, cinematic - the verses showcase that metalcore influence referenced earlier. Daniel's guitar riffing is much faster here, with a spikier and thrashier feel, whilst Luke employs plenty of double bass drum patterns to keep the overall pace up. Harsh vocals are again utilised during the verses to harmonise with Drinkwater but, despite the faster overall pace, there is less of a focus on harsh vocals as a whole this time - although there is a groovy breakdown section with a rather nu-metal-esque feel which includes some effects-heavy growls. Lullaby, despite its name, is not a calm song - but it certainly slows things down compared to the previous two tracks. It is much more dynamic overall, mixing light and shade nicely, but there remains plenty of the band's heavier sound as it kicks off - with a big riff leading the charge early on. The song opens in a similar manner to the others so far, the, but when Drinkwater starts to sing the band drop away quite considerably - with clean guitar melodies backing her sweet voice, whilst occasional bass slides and fills add depth. I would not exactly call the song a true ballad as there are enough harder rocking moments to make it feel weighty - but it certainly plays with its arrangement more than the previous two. The chorus sees the band return to something more akin to the album's trademark sound - with a mid-paced, hard-hitting groove which features strident melodies from Drinkwater and some occasional backing growls. A guitar solo is thrown in later, too, which is not a tactic that the band employ on every track - but given the song's varied arrangement its inclusion works well.

Run returns to more of a mid-paced hard rock sound, with Daniel laying down a hooky guitar lead to set the tone early on - whilst wordless vocal melodies and a strident groove from the rhythm section sit behind him. Once Drinkwater starts to sing, the song continues in a similar vein - with parts of the verses feeling quite staccato overall thanks to plenty of drum stabs and guitar chugs. As the song moves forward, though, the vibe somewhat shifts - going for much more of a metallic sound. Following the first chorus, which is another big one that really sticks in the brain, the band go for a much heavier sound - with breakdown-esque grooves and plenty of screams from Drinkwater. Her harsh vocals are strong. They are perhaps not as full-bodied as Chambers' efforts, but they work well when they are employed - and the second verse is full of anger thanks to her. The mix of heaviness and melody is a welcome one, and the final chorus benefits from the opening guitar lead being reused. Hold Tight slows the pace down quite considerably, with dense synths and murky clean guitars creating a soft sound early on - over which Drinkwater soon sings. Her voice is somewhat mixed into the background here to give the song a distant and unsettling sound, which works well, but it soon grows from this humble beginning thanks to a heavy riff and another strong chorus - which transforms the song when it kicks in. The track never really returns to that murk again, and from this point on it is generally another mid-paced rocker - with a good mix of metalcore riffing and bursts of harsh vocals. There is a brief return to the opening vibe just before the final breakdown and chorus, with Drinkwater's voice chiming once again out of the darkness, but generally the track is very much the band's core sound. Limits also opens fairly slowly, with some hooky synths and Drinkwater's strident vocals - but it is clear from the off that the track will explode into something bigger pretty quickly. It never gives the impression of being a ballad, so when a big drum roll and guitar riff kick in business is usual is restored. Whilst the song still rocks, and the presence of a bit of a breakdown section with harsh vocals, it is perhaps less heavy than some of the others here. There are shades of the band's older sound somewhat - with post-grunge and and pop punk vibes sitting alongside more metallic sounds. Who Do You Think You Are? is similar overall, and the melodic track reminds quite a bit of those shows I saw in 2015. Some versions of the album come with a recording featuring Ambre Vourvahis (Xandria) providing additional vocals as a bonus track - but either way the song is one of my overall favourites on the album. It is less heavy than most of the tracks here, but it still rocks pretty hard - and there is a real emotional edge to the piece. Drinkwater sings really well throughout the album, but this song might include her best vocal performance here. Her chorus delivery really drips with emotion, and some parts of the song are much more atmospheric which really allows her voice to stand out. She also really lets rip later on, during a heavy closing section, with some powerful screams that see her sounding more vital as a harsh vocalist than she has before. The song is really memorable thanks to the powerful chorus and the surprise heavy ending - and it is an overall album highlight for me.

Shatter is another that opens slowly. Subtle synths slowly fade in as the track starts and it takes a little while to get going - but soon Drinkwater starts to sing in a bit of a distant, stop-start manner. This creates a bit of an unsettling tone - and much of the song actually channels such a feeling. Once the rest of the band kick in, the song morphs into something of a tech metal anthem - with juddering djent-adjacent riffing which is something new for Skarlett Riot. The band have never really gone for this off-kilter, groove-based approach before - but the riffing is pretty powerful as a result, and Chambers' harsh vocals are utilised liberally. The verses are essentially sung as a duet between him and Drinkwater - before a more strident and less knotty chorus is more typical of the band's usual sound, despite a few stop-start drum fills during it. Another rare guitar solo is utilised here, too, although it is less lengthy than the one which was featured during Lullaby - and it is largely used to intro the final chorus and add some extra guitar interest under Drinkwater's vocals. Violence returns to opening in a heavier manner following a few slower starts - with harsh vocals setting the tone from the off against some grungy guitars. The song's overall vibe is quite mixed, though, and it mixes these heavier sections with really anthemic moments which hark back to the band's older EPs. The chorus feels like old-school Skarlett Riot, despite the inclusion of some harsh vocals, whilst other parts of the track are very much metalcore-inspired due to Luke's relentless double bass drumming and plenty of snappy riffing. The riffing here contrasts nicely with the grungier guitar tones utilised during other parts of the song - and it is great that the band continue to look to diversify their sound. This may be the most diverse song on the album in terms of different heavier vibes sitting side by side - and it shows that slower moments are not always necessary to ensure variety. The album then comes to a close with Luminate, another track which opens slowly. Whilst not ballad, it is a song which retains its slow feeling throughout - even when things get heavier. Drinkwater sets the tone early on, singing against a backdrop of synths and clean guitars as the song opens up - before a slow, yet heavy, riff kicks in. There is almost something doomy about the heavier parts of the song. The riffing is sludgy, with backing harsh vocals adding depth, and there is never an injection of pace to spice things up. As such, the song has a crawling and monolithic sound - which, again, is pretty different for the band. Parts of this song might be the nastiest that Skarlett Riot have ever sounded, but a strong, melodic chorus is still included - and it shows how much the band have evolved over the years. The heaviness suits them, though, despite Drinkwater's poppy vocals - and the band's strong mix of accessibility and heaviness likely serves them well. Overall, then, I am glad to be back on board the Skarlett Riot train. Caelestia is a very memorable collection of songs which sees the band pushing in a heavier direction whilst still maintaining their core identity. Evolution is always welcome and the band have managed to do so well on this album - and hopefully I will get to see them live again sometime soon now that I am much more familiar with them.

The album was released on 25th October 2024 via Despotz Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Chemicals.