Beat the Devil’s Tattoo is Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s (BRMC) fifth studio album. It is their first released under Abstract Dragon, which is their own label in partnership with Vagrant Records, and was released March 9th.
I’ll admit I’ve been a big fan of BRMC for a long time and have on many occasions referred to them as my favorite band. But, does this album live up to the expectations of this long-time fan?
YAY :
- BRMC’s first drummer is no longer with the band. Their new drummer fits their style well and doesn’t really affect the sound of the band. I do feel like “Conscience Killer” might have been written to make her more comfortable.
- There are some JAMS on this. Not as many as there were on Take Them On, On Your Own, but Beat the Devil’s Tattoo has its fair share.
NAY :
- I had to let this album grow on me. After my first listen I wasn’t too impressed with it, but I listened to it 5 or 6 more times and learned to appreciate it more.
- I might not have been impressed after the first listen because a lot of the second half was what I ended up remembering the most. The last song isn’t bad, but unlike the track “American X” on their previous album, it isn’t good enough to be as long as it is. And let me tell you, after “River Styx” only “Shadow’s Keeper” is really worth your time. This brings me to my next point.
- Yes, they gained a lot of fans with the album Howl they recorded after their first drummer temporarily quit, but whenever they try to revisit the same style they went with on that album it falls flat and ends up boring.
- I listened to the special edition or whatever it’s called, and while the extra songs aren’t the best songs by BRMC they would have fit on the album better than a song like “Long Way Down” does.
What this comes down to is a pretty good first half of an album and a disappointing second half. To put it all in perspective if I were to make a mix with my favorite songs from BRMC’s albums Beat the Devil’s Tattoo would have the fewest representatives on it.
Album highlights: “Bad Blood” , “Mama Taught Me Better” , “River Styx” & “Shadow’s Keeper”
Check it out for yourself.
