A Different Shade of Blue is the second full length album that Knocked Loose has put out and god damn, its heavy. This hardcore/metalcore or whatever genre you want to put them in, I don’t care. Either way, it’s dark and heavy, just the way I like it.
When Knocked Loose first hit the scene with their debut album, Laugh Tracks, I knew they would leave their mark on the metal community. Their sound is nothing out of the ordinary: nasty riffs, badass breakdowns, and 2-stepable riffs that will make you move your feet.
Their latest release, A Different Shade of Blue, was a highly anticipated album from the band. After releasing …And Still I Wander South and Mistakes Like Fractures, I was SO ready to see what else Knocked Loose had up their sleeves. When their newest album first came out, and when I heard the opening track Belleville, it made me wanna punch things. The brute force that the opening track came out with set the tone for the rest of the record.
The beatings continue the more you listen to this record. A Serpent’s Touch features Emma Boster (a queen), vocalist for Dying Wish!! When I heard her come on, I started freaking out because I was not expecting a collaboration. There are more riffs, more breakdowns, and groovy parts as each song progresses and I guarantee that you won’t be standing still while listening. Your neck will be hurting from all the headbanging that is in your future.
Guided by the Moon is probably one of my favorite songs just because of the nasty 2-step riff that follows after Bryan Garris yells, “this is a different shade of blue.” This song has a dark, eerie, feel to it. It also has some chants in the song that I can already see people yelling back at Garris live. You should also check out Forget Your Name. The face crushing riff in the beginning is awesome and if they play this song live… let’s just say chaos will consume us.
Unlike Laugh Tracks, there are no barking noises (like Counting Worms), but this record is a lot darker, heavier, and more metal. When watching an interview with Garris, they didn’t mean for this record to be as dark. It just “turned out” that way. WELL THANK GOD IT DID!!!
A Different Shade of Blue is definitely a big contender for album of the year. The combination of everything on this record is simply amazing and it has been on repeat since it was released. It’s as if you can feel the band’s energy oozing off of this record. Their energy is strong, either just on a record or live. You have this constant feeling that the band is all up in your grill, demanding your attention. That is what I love about this band. They immediately put out this intense energy and we so easily feed off of it. Well done, Knocked Loose.
Overall, this is one of my favorite releases of 2019 and I can’t wait to see them in October. My body is ready.
Favorite song(s): Forget Your Name, A Serpent’s Touch, and Guided by the Moon
Rating: 9/10
What is your favorite song off of A Different Shade of Blue?
Stay Metal,
THE SAW