Enter Shikari (stylised as enter: shikari and occasionally as ΣΠΤΣ℞ SΗΦΚ∆℞Φ) are a British rock band formed in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England in 1999 by bassist Chris Batten, lead vocalist and keyboardist Rou Reynolds, and drummer Rob Rolfe. In 2003, guitarist Rory Clewlow joined the band to complete its current line-up, and it adopted its current name. In 2006, they performed to a growing fanbase at Download Festival as well as a sold-out concert at the
London Astoria
The London Astoria was a music venue at 157 Charing Cross Road, in London, England.
Originally a warehouse during the 1920s, the building became a cinema and ballroom. It was converted for use as a theatre in the 1970s. After further develop ...
. Their debut studio album, ''
Take to the Skies
''Take to the Skies'' is the debut studio album by British rock band Enter Shikari. It is the first album to achieve a significant chart success for a new act operating outside the traditional label system after selling 200,000 copies worldwide. ...
'', was released in 2007 and reached number 4 in the Official UK Album Chart, and has since been certified gold in the UK. Their second, '' Common Dreads'', was released in 2009 and debuted on the UK Albums Chart at number 16; while their third, ''
A Flash Flood of Colour
''A Flash Flood of Colour'' is the third studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, and was produced by Dan Weller. The album was recorded in May and June 2011 at Karma Sound Studios in Bang Saray, Thailand, and at the Fortress in London ...
'', was released in 2012 and debuted on the chart at number 4. Both have since been certified silver in the UK. The band spent a considerable amount of time supporting the latter release through the
A Flash Flood of Colour World Tour
A Flash Flood of Colour World Tour was a concert tour by rock band Enter Shikari, which took place through 2012 and 2013, in support of the band's third studio album ''A Flash Flood of Colour,'' released on 16 January 2012. The tour supersedes ...
, before beginning work on a fourth studio album, '' The Mindsweep'', which was released in 2015. Their fifth studio album '' The Spark'' was released in 2017. Their sixth album ''
Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible
''Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible'' is the sixth studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, released on 17 April 2020 through Ambush Reality and SO Recordings.
Background and production
British rock band Enter Shikari released t ...
'' was released in April 2020.
Enter Shikari have their own record label, Ambush Reality. However, they have also signed distribution deals with several major labels to help with worldwide distribution. Their eclectic musical style combines influences from rock music genres with those from various
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroa ...
genres.
History
Beginnings (1999–2006)
In 1999 a band named Hybryd formed, consisting of Rou Reynolds on guitar and vocals, Chris Batten on bass guitar, and Rob Rolfe on drums. They released an EP called '' Commit No Nuisance'', which featured the tracks "Perfect Pygmalion", "Look Inside", "Torch Song", "Honesty Box" and "Fake". In 2003, with the addition of guitarist Rory Clewlow, Hybryd became Enter Shikari. The band was named after ''Shikari'', a boat belonging to Reynold's uncle. In a 2011 interview, Rolfe explained that: "Shikari is a
Hindi
Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...
word for hunter." After the band's line-up and name change, Reynolds focused his musical efforts on vocals and electronics instead of guitar.
During 2003 and 2004, the band released three demo EPs (''
Nodding Acquaintance
Enter Shikari are a British rock band formed in 2003. Their debut album, '' Take to the Skies'', was released on 19 March 2007 and reached number 4 in the UK Albums Chart. The album was later certified Gold. Their second album, titled ''Common D ...
'', ''Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour'' and '' Sorry You're Not a Winner'') that were available from their gigs and their website, featuring original versions of some songs that were eventually re-recorded for their debut album, ''
Take to the Skies
''Take to the Skies'' is the debut studio album by British rock band Enter Shikari. It is the first album to achieve a significant chart success for a new act operating outside the traditional label system after selling 200,000 copies worldwide. ...
''. They would frequently make appearances at their local youth club, The Pioneer Club, where they would play alongside other local bands. They had another demo EP planned for release in 2005 (no such EP materialised, although recordings surfaced online). For this the first versions of "Return To Energiser" and "Labyrinth" were recorded. Early versions of "OK Time for Plan B" and "We Can Breathe in Space" were also recorded around this time but it's unclear if these were destined for the EP. It was at this time that Kerrang! Radio's Alex Baker picked up on the band, and as he didn't have a physical release to play, he streamed "OK Time For Plan B" off the band's Myspace page, straight onto the airwaves.
In August 2006 they released a video of the single "
Mothership
A mother ship, mothership or mother-ship is a large vehicle that leads, serves, or carries other smaller vehicles. A mother ship may be a maritime ship, aircraft, or spacecraft.
Examples include bombers converted to carry experimental airc ...
" which became the single of the week on the
iTunes Store
The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...
. Their first physical single featured re-recorded versions of "
Sorry You're Not a Winner/OK Time for Plan B
"Sorry You're Not a Winner" / "OK Time for Plan B" is the first physical single by Enter Shikari and second overall. It was released in 2006. It is available from their online storeMothership
A mother ship, mothership or mother-ship is a large vehicle that leads, serves, or carries other smaller vehicles. A mother ship may be a maritime ship, aircraft, or spacecraft.
Examples include bombers converted to carry experimental airc ...
", entered the UK singles chart for one week at number 151, on Downloads only (despite its physical formats not being eligible for charts t the band's request. This was followed a week later by "
Sorry You're Not a Winner/OK Time for Plan B
"Sorry You're Not a Winner" / "OK Time for Plan B" is the first physical single by Enter Shikari and second overall. It was released in 2006. It is available from their online storet the band's request and number 146 in the Download Chart. In addition "
Sorry You're Not a Winner/OK Time for Plan B
"Sorry You're Not a Winner" / "OK Time for Plan B" is the first physical single by Enter Shikari and second overall. It was released in 2006. It is available from their online storeEA Sports
EA Sports is a division of Electronic Arts that develops and publishes sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to imitate real-life sports networks by calling themselves the "EA Sports Network ...
video game titles
NHL 08
''NHL 08'' is a video game released on September 11, 2007 in North America; the Xbox 360 version was supposed to be released on the same date as the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 versions, but was postponed for a day due to s ...
and
Madden 08
''Madden NFL 08'' is a 2007 American football video game based on the NFL that was published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the 19th installment in the ''Madden NFL'' video game franchise. It features the former Tennessee Titan ...
. Enter Shikari secured a spot on the Gibson/Myspace stage at 2006's Download Festival.
They also had interviews with popular music press such as ''
Kerrang!
''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...
'' and ''
Rock Sound
''Rock Sound'' is a British magazine that covers rock music. The magazine aims at being more " underground" and less commercial, while also giving coverage to better-known acts. It generally focuses on pop punk, post-hardcore, metalcore, punk, ...
''. On 4 November 2006, they became only the second unsigned band to ever sell out
London Astoria
The London Astoria was a music venue at 157 Charing Cross Road, in London, England.
Originally a warehouse during the 1920s, the building became a cinema and ballroom. It was converted for use as a theatre in the 1970s. After further develop ...
(the first being The Darkness).
They also made the ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
s "New Noise 2007", a list of the bands it considers most likely to achieve success in the coming year (previous years lists have included the likes of
Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara. The band's current touring line-up also includes former core member ...
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are an English rock band, composed of Kele Okereke (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, sampler), Russell Lissack (lead guitar, keyboards), Justin Harris (bass guitar, keyboards, saxophones, backing vocals) and Louise Bartle ( ...
).
The next single released was " Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour", on 5 March 2007. This was the band's second single to be released from their forthcoming debut album. It contained a re-recorded version of the song "Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour". It reached 27 in the Official UK chart.
The band released a compilation album titled '' The Zone'' just after the debut album, this contained various demo tracks and previously released singles.
''Take to the Skies'' (2007–08)
The band's debut album, ''
Take to the Skies
''Take to the Skies'' is the debut studio album by British rock band Enter Shikari. It is the first album to achieve a significant chart success for a new act operating outside the traditional label system after selling 200,000 copies worldwide. ...
'', was released on 19 March 2007 and on 25 March it reached number 4 in the UK Official Album Charts. It contained re-recordings of many of the songs that had featured on the demo EPs and singles that were released prior to the release of the album.
During the month of March 2007 it was announced they would be playing at Download Festival,
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend. The Reading Fe ...
Oxegen
Oxegen was a music festival in Ireland, first held from 2004–2011 as a rock and pop festival and again in 2013 with dance and chart acts only. The event was regularly cited as Ireland's biggest music festival, and, by 2009, it was being ci ...
festival in Ireland and Rock am Ring in Germany. On 30 March 2007, Enter Shikari announced that their next single would be " Jonny Sniper" and would be released on 18 June. The song's video was premiered on 21 May. The single received bad reviews from ''NME''.
Enter Shikari had performed over 500 times by 2007 and played on the
Gibson
Gibson may refer to:
People
* Gibson (surname)
Businesses
* Gibson Brands, Inc., an American manufacturer of guitars, other musical instruments, and audio equipment
* Gibson Technology, and English automotive and motorsport company based
* Gi ...
/ MySpace stage at 2006's Download Festival. On 14 May 2007, Enter Shikari started their first North America tour. This was followed by three more North American tours.
On 13 May 2008, the band released the first in a series of videos called "Enter Shikari: In the 'Low". The videos, posted on the band's YouTube page, showcased the band as they recorded their new single, "
We Can Breathe In Space, They Just Don't Want Us To Escape
"We Can Breathe in Space, They Just Don't Want Us to Escape" is a song by British rock band Enter Shikari. The release of the single is the only release of Enter Shikari in 2008. The single was not released on the band's album, '' Common Dreads'', ...
", and demoed new material. One of the new songs set to feature on the album was 'Step Up', which was first performed at Milton Keynes Pitz on 28 June 2008, the warm up show to Projekt Revolution the following day.
''Common Dreads'' (2009–2010)
It was confirmed by ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' that Enter Shikari had finished working on their second album, '' Common Dreads'', in March 2009 and announced that they would tour the UK and Europe during 2009. They also made available a free download of a new song, "Antwerpen", from their website. On 15 April 2009 "Juggernauts" was played on Radio 1 as Zane Lowe's "Hottest Track in the World" and was released as a single on 1 June 2009 with "All Eyes on the Saint" as its B side. The band also had help from musician Danny Sneddon who helped with the recording of "Juggernauts". On 1 May Kerrang featured their track-by-track of the album. ''Metal Hammer'' were the first to review the album online with a track-by-track.
'' Common Dreads'' was released through Ambush Reality on 15 June 2009 and debuted at No. 16 on the UK top 40 album chart. The second single to be released from Common Dreads was " No Sleep Tonight". The 7-inch vinyl, CD single and
MP3
MP3 (formally MPEG-1 Audio Layer III or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III) is a coding format for digital audio developed largely by the Fraunhofer Society in Germany, with support from other digital scientists in the United States and elsewhere. Origin ...
download was released on 17 August 2009. A slightly modified version of the song "Wall" was released as a radio single, and a video for the song "Zzzonked", made of clips of a live show played at Norwich UEA, was also released.
A 2-disc version of ''Common Dreads'' was released in January 2010. Frontman Rou Reynolds announced that "we’ve got a different artist for each single from Hospital Records to do drum 'n' bass remixes so we'll be releasing that as a 12". Then we're doing the same thing with (dubstep label) True Tiger who've done a dubstep remix of each single." However it was later said in a Radio 1 interview that in fact they were only having their main singles remixed.
The single "Thumper" was released on 19 January 2010, on BBC Radio One, as well as the new single "Tribalism", which was first played on Radio 1 on 16 February 2010. These songs come off the new B-sides and remixes album ''
Tribalism
Tribalism is the state of being organized by, or advocating for, tribes or tribal lifestyles. Human evolution has primarily occurred in small hunter-gatherer groups, as opposed to in larger and more recently settled agricultural societies or civ ...
'', which was released on 22 February 2010.
Throughout February–March 2010, Enter Shikari joined the Australian summer festival Soundwave along with other bands such as A Day to Remember and
Architects
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
, playing shows in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. The band then continued to tour Japan with A Day to Remember and
Escape the Fate
Escape the Fate is an American rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2004 and originally from Pahrump, Nevada. They are signed to Eleven Seven Music. The group consists of Robert Ortiz (drummer), Craig Mabbitt (lead vocalist), TJ Bell ( ...
and in April–May 2010, they served as a support act, along with
August Burns Red
August Burns Red is an American metalcore band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, formed in 2003. The band's current lineup consists of lead guitarist John Benjamin "JB" Brubaker, rhythm guitarist Brent Rambler, drummer Matt Greiner, lead vocalist ...
and Silverstein on A Day to Remember's ''Toursick''.
On 18 and 19 December, Enter Shikari hosted two Christmas Party shows at The Forum in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Special guest supports included
Rolo Tomassi
Rolo Tomassi are an English band from Sheffield. Their name is taken from a dialogue in the film ''L.A. Confidential''. The band is known for their strong DIY ethic and chaotic style and performances. They are currently signed to MNRK Heavy. ...
Dark Stares
Dark Stares are a British alternative rock band from St Albans, Hertfordshire. Formed in 2009, the band is composed of brothers Miles Kristian Howell (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Taylor Howell (drums, guitars, backing vocals), Brett Harland Howe ...
The Qemists
The Qemists are an English electronic music group, hailing from Brighton, England. They are signed to Amazing Record Co., an indie record label based in the UK. The band have a separate deal with Beat Records for distribution in Japan and wit ...
On 14 June 2010, Enter Shikari announced that they had returned to the studio to do a "one off new track" called " Destabilise" which was released as a download on 26 October 2010, and a limited edition coloured 7-inch vinyl on 29 November 2010.
In June 2011, the band signed to Hopeless Records in the US, and embarked on the
Vans Warped Tour
The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States plus three or four stops in Canada annually each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the longest-running tourin ...
for the second year in a row.
In mid-2011, the band released another one-off single called " Quelle Surprise" before releasing the first single, "
Sssnakepit
"Sssnakepit" is a single by English rock band Enter Shikari, the first from their third studio album "A Flash Flood of Colour". The single was released on 20 September 2011 as a digital download. The song charted at number 62 in the UK Singles Cha ...
" and " Gandhi Mate, Gandhi" in September and December, respectively, off their third album.
The band released ''A Flash Flood of Colour'' on 16 January 2012, and played three album release shows in London, Kingston upon Thames, and Leeds.
At the end of the first week of the album being released, the album reached number four in the U.K charts.
Later that year, the band began their first tour of ''
A Flash Flood of Colour
''A Flash Flood of Colour'' is the third studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, and was produced by Dan Weller. The album was recorded in May and June 2011 at Karma Sound Studios in Bang Saray, Thailand, and at the Fortress in London ...
'' in February by heading out to Tokyo, Japan for one show, before playing Soundwave Festival, including a couple of 'sideshows' on their off-days. The band continued their tour across the world, travelling to the United States, South Africa, Europe,
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend. The Reading Fe ...
FM4 Frequency Festival
The FM4 Frequency Festival, also Frequency Festival or just Frequency, formerly Vienna City Festival, is a music festival. Until 2008, it took place near Salzburg Austria, usually every August. In 2009, the Festival moved to St. Pölten. It is pr ...
,
Sonisphere
The Sonisphere Festival was a touring rock music festival which took place across Europe between the months of June and August. The festival was owned by John Jackson and Kilimanjaro Live. It was jointly promoted by K2 and Kilimanjaro Live. It ...
in Spain,
T in the Park
T in the Park festival was a major Scottish music festival that was held annually from 1994 to 2016. It was named after its main sponsor, Tennents. The event was held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire, until 1996. It then moved to the disused B ...
,
Rock am Ring and Rock im Park
The ( German for "Rock at the Ring") and ("Rock in the Park") festivals are two simultaneous rock music festivals held annually. While ''Rock am Ring'' takes place at the Nürburgring race track, ''Rock im Park'' takes place at the Zeppelinfel ...
, and many more, ranging from the end of May to the start of September.
In Summer 2012's
Kerrang!
''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...
Awards, the band scooped 'Best Live Band' for the second time, along with Rou Reynolds winning 'Hero of the Year.' They were also nominated for best album, but lost out to
Mastodon
A mastodon ( 'breast' + 'tooth') is any proboscidean belonging to the extinct genus ''Mammut'' (family Mammutidae). Mastodons inhabited North and Central America during the late Miocene or late Pliocene up to their extinction at the end of th ...
.
In November 2012 the band announced the launch of their own beer "Sssnakepit", a 5% lager brewed in conjunction with Signature Brew, which was launched in Manchester and sold on the 'A Flash Flood of Christmas' tour at venues across the UK.
The band were also nominated for Best British Band and Best Live Band at the Kerrang! Awards 2013, but lost out to
Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon (often abbreviated as BMTH) are a British Rock music, rock band formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardis ...
In April 2013, the band released a non-album single named " The Paddington Frisk", later announcing that it was part of a then unnamed three track EP due for release later that year ('' Rat Race EP''). On 5 June 2013, the band announced via their official Twitter that they were recording a video for the new single " Radiate", which was first played by
Zane Lowe
Alexander Zane Reid Lowe (born 7 August 1973) is a New Zealand radio DJ, live DJ, record producer, and television presenter.
After an early career in music creation, production and DJing, he moved to the UK in 1997. He came to prominence thro ...
on his
Radio 1 Radio 1 or Radio One most commonly refers to:
*BBC Radio 1, a music radio station from the BBC
** BBC Radio 1Xtra, a digital radio station broadcasting black music
*CBC Radio One, a talk radio station operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporatio ...
show on 10 June. The song was his Single of the Week. 5 months later, "Rat Race" was released, the three tracks were then amalgamated into the ''Rat Race EP'', along with a
trance
Trance is a state of semi-consciousness in which a person is not self-aware and is either altogether unresponsive to external stimuli (but nevertheless capable of pursuing and realizing an aim) or is selectively responsive in following the dir ...
remix of "Radiate" created by Reynold's side project – Shikari Sound System.
The band headed out on an extensive tour of the UK and Ireland throughout April and May, purposefully playing in towns that don't usually get shows, as a thank you to those fans who usually have to travel to larger cities all the time to see bands. Support for the tour was Hacktivist. This tour was the first time the songs " The Paddington Frisk" was played, as well as " Juggernauts" b-side "All Eyes on the Saint" from 2009
''The Mindsweep'' (2014–2016)
In late 2012, bassist Chris Batten said that the band will begin working on their fourth studio album after their current touring has finished sometime in 2013. However, Batten also affirmed that the album would not be ready for release in that year.
On 8 October 2014, the band announced that their fourth album would be titled '' The Mindsweep'', and would be released on 19 January 2015. The album was anticipated by singles " The Last Garrison" and "
Anaesthetist
Anesthesiology, anaesthesiology, or anaesthesia is the medical specialty concerned with the total perioperative care of patients before, during and after surgery. It encompasses anesthesia, intensive care medicine, critical emergency medicine ...
". In addition, two tracks were also released between November and December 2014: " Never Let Go of the Microscope" and "Slipshod". On 12 January 2015 they put for the streaming on their website the entire new album. In May 2015 they covered
System of a Down
System of a Down (also known as SoaD or simply System) is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron Malakian (guitar, voc ...
Rock Sound
''Rock Sound'' is a British magazine that covers rock music. The magazine aims at being more " underground" and less commercial, while also giving coverage to better-known acts. It generally focuses on pop punk, post-hardcore, metalcore, punk, ...
s compilation ''Worship and Tributes'', while in June they participated at ''Ultimate Rock Heroes'' compilation by ''
Kerrang!
''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to simply Rage) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commer ...
. On 30 October they released their first remix album, '' The Mindsweep: Hospitalised'', featuring remixes from drum and bass label
Hospital Records
Hospital Records is a British independent record label based in South London. Primarily releasing drum and bass, the label was started in 1996 by Tony Colman (London Elektricity) and Chris Goss, and has grown in recent years to become one of ...
artists.
On 12 January 2016, a single called " Redshift" premiered on Annie Mac's show on
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
. Another new single called "Hoodwinker" premiered on Daniel P. Carter's show on BBC Radio 1 on 9 October 2016.
On 25 August 2016, the band announced a live album for their February 2016 Alexandra Palace show. It was initially due for release on 4 November 2016, however it was delayed until 18 November 2016 due to manufacturing issues.
On 8 November 2016, Enter Shikari were announced as headliners for
Slam Dunk Festival
Slam Dunk Records or Slam Dunk Music is a British independent record label, promoter and concert organising company, founded in Leeds, England, in 2007. Some notable signees include You Me at Six and Decade. The label evolved from "Slam Dunk", ...
2017.
''The Spark'' (2017–2019)
On 1 August 2017, Enter Shikari announced their new album '' The Spark'' with its lead single "Live Outside". The album was released on 22 September.
To promote the album, the band toured UK, Europe, Japan, and North America on their '' The Spark World Tour''.
On 15 February 2019, the band released a pair of limited edition live albums, ''Take to the Skies. Live in Moscow. May 2017'' and ''Live at Alexandra Palace 2'' both of which were recorded in 2017 on their ''
Take to the Skies
''Take to the Skies'' is the debut studio album by British rock band Enter Shikari. It is the first album to achieve a significant chart success for a new act operating outside the traditional label system after selling 200,000 copies worldwide. ...
10 Year Anniversary Tour'' and their '' The Spark World Tour''.
In 2018 the band embarked on an extensive tour of the UK, Europe, and Scandinavia, entitled "Stop the Clocks", during which they performed a new song of the same name. The band released the song as a single on 12 August 2019 shortly before their performances at the 2019
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend. The Reading Fe ...
where they played 5 different sets across the weekend. Following this, the band resumed their Stop the Clocks tour with a twelve-date American leg, which singer Rou Reynolds said would "bring the whole 'Spark-era' full circle."
''Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible'' (2020–present)
In an interview with ''Kerrang'' while the band was in Australia for Good Things Festival, they revealed their next album will be the ''"most definitive Shikari record to date"'' and will feature something from every album.
On 10 February 2020, a new single called "The Dreamer's Hotel", stylised as , premiered on Annie Mac's show on
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
. The same day, they announced that their new album would be called ''
Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible
''Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible'' is the sixth studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, released on 17 April 2020 through Ambush Reality and SO Recordings.
Background and production
British rock band Enter Shikari released t ...
'' and would release on 17 April 2020. An accompanying music video was released for The Dreamer's Hotel on 5 March 2020, almost a month after the initial release. The video features an unusual use of over-the-top rainbow effects, fitting with the rainbow motif of the album. "The King" was the album's second single, released on 8 March 2020. Frontman Rou described this track as a "lesson in patience and forgiveness" to Kerrang as they have worked on this single song for such a long time. "T.I.N.A." was the third single released on 22 March 2020. The title stands for "
there is no alternative
"There is no alternative" (TINA) is a slogan strongly associated with the policies and persona of the Conservative British prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
In a speech to the Conservative Women's Conference on 21 May 1980, Thatcher appealed ...
". ''Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible'' hit No. 2 on the UK album charts on 30 April 2020, 13 days after its release on 17 April. This was the band's fifth album to reach Top 10 and the third consecutive major album.
On 16 April 2021, they released '' Moratorium (Broadcasts from the Interruption)'' without advance notice. It includes songs from their past two albums that have been reworked, re-imagined, recorded live or as acoustic renditions.
On 24 November 2021 through 10 February 2022, Enter Shikari headed out for a brief European tour with a sold out headline show at Alexandra Palace. On 16 July 2022, the band released their film, ''Live at Vada'', directed by Tom Pullen.
On 17 November 2022, band released a new song named "Bull", recorded in collaboration with Cody Frost.
The official music video released the same day.
Musical style, lyrical themes and influences
Enter Shikari's musical style has been variously described as
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commerci ...
,
electronic rock
Electronic rock is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s, when rock bands began incorporating electronic instrum ...
electronicore
Electronicore (also known as synthcore or trancecore) is a fusion genre of metalcore with elements of various electronic music genres, often including trance, electronica, and dubstep.
Reception
Sumerian Records noted in the late 2000s that ...
(which they are considered to have pioneered),
experimental rock
Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, with ...
synth-metal
Electronic rock is a music genre that involves a combination of rock music and electronic music, featuring instruments typically found within both genres. It originates from the late 1960s, when rock bands began incorporating electronic instrum ...
. It is recognisable for combining rock music (especially punk rock and
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier p ...
) with elements of various
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroa ...
dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the early 2000s. The style emerged as a UK garage offshoot that blended 2-step rhythms and sparse dub production, as well as incorporating elements of broken be ...
,
techno
Techno is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally music production, produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central Drum beat, rhythm is typ ...
trance
Trance is a state of semi-consciousness in which a person is not self-aware and is either altogether unresponsive to external stimuli (but nevertheless capable of pursuing and realizing an aim) or is selectively responsive in following the dir ...
. It features breakdowns, heavy metal and hardcore-influenced instrumentation, dub-inspired "wobbles", anthemic choruses, drum and bass tempos and an alternation between sung, screamed (or occasionally growled) and rapped vocals, with all members contributing to vocals.
Enter Shikari's lyrics, written by frontman Rou Reynolds, are often politically charged. In a 2015 interview, '' Kerrang! Magazine'' wrote: "With Shikari a rare, political voice on the UK rock scene, Rou remains baffled by bands 'labelling themselves as punk that aren't speaking about anything of importance'. 'To us it's second nature,' he says. 'It's what this music is ''for''. If you take out the social commentary, it's not punk, it's just noisy pop.'" At the same time, Reynolds " oesn'tcare if people don't read the lyrics" and only "appreciate Shikari as a noisy pop group". Although not all of the band's lyrics are political, "even when nter Shikari writea
love song
A love song is a song about romantic love, falling in love, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. A comprehensive list of even the best known performers and composers of love songs would be a large order ...
hey
Hey or Hey! may refer to:
Music
* Hey (band), a Polish rock band
Albums
* ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014
* ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980
* ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
reclaim the love song from all the shit, vapid love songs on the charts." He also stated that the band's general message is that "if we base our lives around love and unity, then that's all that matters."
Political issues that the band have written about in their lyrics include –
climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...
and the misuse of natural resources,
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
's presidency of the United States, the use of
nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bom ...
National Health Service
The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...
, and
capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price system, priva ...
.
Enter Shikari's lyrics have also centred around more personal themes throughout their career, such as lead singer Rou Reynolds' anxiety, depression, mental illness, self-pity and the loss of a loved one or idolised celebrity figure. Their album '' The Spark'' in particular delves more into personal issues within the band, with Reynolds stating in an interview with ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
'', regarding lyrical themes: "What I was trying to do with this album in marrying the personal and the political is to ensure that human vulnerability is laid bare, and to not be afraid to speak about emotions." He elaborates by stating that "I don’t think I could have done it riting more personal lyricsbefore this record. So much happened over those two years ince the release of their previous album globally and in my personal life, so before. I was kind of comfortable. I have a very finely attuned cringe muscle, I don't like writing about things that have been written about a thousand times. Some of it is maybe even a self-confidence thing, feeling as though I don't have much to offer in terms of art that helps other people. But seeing as 2015 was the year of hell for me, it wasn't just that I wanted to write a more personal record, I had to. There was no way of not doing it".
In an interview following the release of ''
A Flash Flood of Colour
''A Flash Flood of Colour'' is the third studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, and was produced by Dan Weller. The album was recorded in May and June 2011 at Karma Sound Studios in Bang Saray, Thailand, and at the Fortress in London ...
'', guitarist Rory Clewlow stated that the band's influences are numerous, but include
Refused
Refused (also known as the Refused) is a Swedish hardcore punk band originating from Umeå and formed in 1991. Refused is composed of vocalist Dennis Lyxzén, guitarist Kristofer Steen, drummer David Sandström, and bassist Magnus Flagge. G ...
At the Drive-In
At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...
,
Sick of It All
Sick of It All is an American hardcore punk band formed in 1986 in Queens, New York City. The band's lineup consists of brothers Lou and Pete Koller on lead vocals and guitars respectively, Armand Majidi on drums, and Craig Setari on bass. Sick ...
,
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to simply Rage) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commer ...
,
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...
The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Dillinger Escape Plan was an American metalcore band. The band was formed in 1997 in Morris Plains, New Jersey by guitarist Ben Weinman, bassist Adam Doll, vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, and drummer Chris Pennie. The band's use of odd time si ...
, and that "most of heirsound was originally developed through going to see local acts in and around heirhome town."
Rou Reynolds has cited British pop music from the 20th century as being a major influence on his songwriting, particularly on their album The Spark, with
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris.
Sumner and Hook formed the band after atte ...
Ambush Reality is an independent record label owned by Enter Shikari. Although originally it was exclusively for the release of Enter Shikari's albums and songs, on 21 July 2014 the band announced via Facebook and Twitter they were releasing a song by Nottingham hardcore band Baby Godzilla (now known as Heck). Formed in July 2006, it is co-owned and run by the members of the band and their friends. The band has decided that, to tour in the United States, they had to sign with a major record label in America. On 28 August 2007, Ambush Reality said that ''Take to the Skies'' came out in North America in October 2007, with Ambush Reality joining Interscope Records imprint Tiny Evil. Ambush Reality signed a distribution deal with
Warner Music
Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and th ...
to make the album '' Common Dreads'' and future releases more accessible outside the UK and also more widely advertised and promoted. As of 8 December 2010 Enter Shikari / Ambush Reality have left distribution through Warner and will distribute throughout UK/Europe/Japan/Australia via
PIAS Entertainment Group
PIAS is a British recording, licensing, distribution, sales and marketing company for independent music. The company was founded in 1983 by Kenny Gates and Michel Lambot in Brussels, Belgium,
Reynolds has produced music as part of a side project with the name "Rout", which he sometimes performs in small venues and before shows. He previously used the names "Shark & Blitz" and "Routron 5000". The music develops on his penchant for electronics, resulting in a drum and bass/jungle/dubstep sound. Some songs feature samples of Rou and friends fooling around as well as iconic lines from movies or songs.
His most recent EP, released for
ActionAid
ActionAid is an international non-governmental organization whose stated primary aim is to work against poverty and injustice worldwide.
ActionAid is a federation of 45 country offices that works with communities, often via local partner organis ...
, features samples from
ActionAid
ActionAid is an international non-governmental organization whose stated primary aim is to work against poverty and injustice worldwide.
ActionAid is a federation of 45 country offices that works with communities, often via local partner organis ...
's project work in
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
.
Rolfe also DJs under the moniker "Sgt. Rolfy", regularly playing slots at the band's aftershow parties. He plays a range of sounds, including trance, drum & bass, dubstep and even classical and parody tunes too.
Clewlow recently released his first remix, simply as "Rory C", for Don Broco's track "Priorities", from their new record.
Reynolds has also set up his own clothing company, Step Up Clothing.
On 25 April 2013 the band announced a side project called Shikari Sound System, an alter-ego of the group. The band announced it on their Facebook page straight after they had been announced to play at Reading and Leeds Festival during the summer. Frontman Rou assured fans on his Twitter page that it would be "The same 4 scallywags but playing a live dance set". Shikari Sound System played their debut set at The Reading and Leeds festivals and were joined by members of hardcore band
Hacktivist
In Internet activism, hacktivism, or hactivism (a portmanteau of '' hack'' and '' activism''), is the use of computer-based techniques such as hacking as a form of civil disobedience to promote a political agenda or social change. With roots in h ...
as well as Danny Price who now regularly hosts SSS DJ sets. Shikari Sound System were announced for
Slam Dunk Festival
Slam Dunk Records or Slam Dunk Music is a British independent record label, promoter and concert organising company, founded in Leeds, England, in 2007. Some notable signees include You Me at Six and Decade. The label evolved from "Slam Dunk", ...
on 24 February 2016 and have done regular slots in the UK and Europe.
In 2017, Rou Reynolds released a book named ''Dear Future Historians'', a song-by-song lyrical analysis of the band's work including photos. By popular demand, the book was revisited and expanded in 2019 to include music released since its original publication, and received another strictly limited edition run.
In August 2020, it was announced that Enter Shikari would become the main sponsor of their hometown team, St Albans City Football Club. In 2022, Chris Batten signed on with the football club to play one football match against Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. to raise money to support those affected by the
Russian Invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
Take to the Skies
''Take to the Skies'' is the debut studio album by British rock band Enter Shikari. It is the first album to achieve a significant chart success for a new act operating outside the traditional label system after selling 200,000 copies worldwide. ...
A Flash Flood of Colour
''A Flash Flood of Colour'' is the third studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, and was produced by Dan Weller. The album was recorded in May and June 2011 at Karma Sound Studios in Bang Saray, Thailand, and at the Fortress in London ...
Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible
''Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible'' is the sixth studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, released on 17 April 2020 through Ambush Reality and SO Recordings.
Background and production
British rock band Enter Shikari released t ...
'' (2020)
Accolades
, -
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NME Awards
The ''NME'' Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine '' NME'' (''New Musical Express''). The first awards show was held in 1953 as the ''NME'' Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding ...
2007: John Peel Award for Musical Innovation, ,
, -
, style="text-align:center;", Kerrang! Awards 2007: Spirit of Independence, ,
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, style="text-align:center;", Kerrang! Awards 2007: Best Live Band, ,
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, style="text-align:center;", Kerrang! Awards 2007: Best British Band, ,
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, style="text-align:center;", " Sorry You're Not a Winner", , style="text-align:center;", Kerrang! Awards 2007: Best Single , ,
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, style="text-align:center;", ''
Take to the Skies
''Take to the Skies'' is the debut studio album by British rock band Enter Shikari. It is the first album to achieve a significant chart success for a new act operating outside the traditional label system after selling 200,000 copies worldwide. ...
'', , style="text-align:center;", Kerrang! Awards 2007: Best Album, ,
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, style="text-align:center;" rowspan="4", Enter Shikari, , style="text-align:center;", BT Digital Awards: Breakthrough Artist of the Year, ,
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, style="text-align:center;", 2009, , style="text-align:center;", Kerrang! Awards 2009: Best Live Band, ,
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, style="text-align:center;", 2010, , style="text-align:center;",
Kerrang! Awards 2010
The Kerrang! Awards 2010 were held in London, England, on 29 July 2010, at The Brewery in Romford and were hosted by Slipknot singer Corey Taylor and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian.
On 23 June 2010, ''Kerrang!'' announced the 2010 nominees. The ...
: Best British Band, ,
, -
, style="text-align:center;" rowspan="6", 2012, , style="text-align:center;",
Kerrang! Awards 2012
The Kerrang! Awards 2012 were held in London, England, on 7 June 2012 at The Brewery in East London and were hosted by Slipknot singer Corey Taylor and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian.
On 2 May 2012, ''Kerrang!'' announced the 2012 nominees. ...
: Best Live Band, ,
, -
, style="text-align:center;", ''
A Flash Flood of Colour
''A Flash Flood of Colour'' is the third studio album by English rock band Enter Shikari, and was produced by Dan Weller. The album was recorded in May and June 2011 at Karma Sound Studios in Bang Saray, Thailand, and at the Fortress in London ...
'', , style="text-align:center;",
Kerrang! Awards 2012
The Kerrang! Awards 2012 were held in London, England, on 7 June 2012 at The Brewery in East London and were hosted by Slipknot singer Corey Taylor and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian.
On 2 May 2012, ''Kerrang!'' announced the 2012 nominees. ...
: Best Album, ,
, -
, style="text-align:center;", Rou Reynolds, , style="text-align:center;",
Kerrang! Awards 2012
The Kerrang! Awards 2012 were held in London, England, on 7 June 2012 at The Brewery in East London and were hosted by Slipknot singer Corey Taylor and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian.
On 2 May 2012, ''Kerrang!'' announced the 2012 nominees. ...
: Hero of the Year, ,
, -
, style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2", Enter Shikari, , style="text-align:center;", AIM Awards: Hardest Working Band, ,
, -
, style="text-align:center;", AIM Awards 2012: Best Live Band, ,
, -
, style="text-align:center;", ''A Flash Flood of Colour'', , style="text-align:center;", AIM Awards 2012: Independent Album of the Year, ,
, -
, style="text-align:center;" rowspan="4", 2013, , style="text-align:center;" rowspan="4", Enter Shikari, , style="text-align:center;", AIM Awards 2012: Best Live Band, ,
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, style="text-align:center;", Kerrang! Awards 2013: Best Live Band, ,
, -
, style="text-align:center;", Kerrang! Awards 2013: Best British Band, ,
, -
, style="text-align:center;",
NME Awards
The ''NME'' Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine '' NME'' (''New Musical Express''). The first awards show was held in 1953 as the ''NME'' Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding ...
2013: Best Fan Community, ,
, -
, style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3", 2015 , , style="text-align:center;", "
Anaesthetist
Anesthesiology, anaesthesiology, or anaesthesia is the medical specialty concerned with the total perioperative care of patients before, during and after surgery. It encompasses anesthesia, intensive care medicine, critical emergency medicine ...
", , style="text-align:center;", Kerrang! Awards 2015: Best Single, ,
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, style="text-align:center;", Enter Shikari, , style="text-align:center;", Kerrang! Awards 2015: Best British Band, ,
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, style="text-align:center;", '' The Mindsweep'', , style="text-align:center;", AIM Awards 2015: Independent Album of the Year, ,
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, style="text-align:center;", 2018, , style="text-align:center;", '' The Spark'', , style="text-align:center;", Kerrang! Awards 2018: Best Album, ,
Miscellaneous
*
Rock Sound
''Rock Sound'' is a British magazine that covers rock music. The magazine aims at being more " underground" and less commercial, while also giving coverage to better-known acts. It generally focuses on pop punk, post-hardcore, metalcore, punk, ...
's poll for 'who will make it in 2007'.
* Ourzone Reader's Poll: Best Live Band 2011.
* Ourzone Reader's Poll: Who Will Own 2012.
*
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
's User's Poll: Best Act at
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend. The Reading Fe ...