As anticipation for their upcoming third album, ‘Typhoons’ reaches fever pitch, Royal Blood reveal the official studio version of the fan favourite ‘Boilermaker’. ‘Boilermaker’ captured the imagination of fans after Royal Blood performed the song in the summer of 2019, including high profile sets at the Reading and Leeds Festivals. It’s been the topic of speculation ever since, with various live videos emerging on YouTube and numerous discussions on the Royal Blood sub-Reddit. The song was produced by Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme and recorded at his vibey Pink Duck studio in Los Angeles. The two bands have previously toured North America together, while Kerr also contributed vocals to ‘Crucifire’, a track from Homme’s Desert Sessions project. ‘Boilermaker’ is the fourth track to tease ‘Typhoons’. The previous singles – ‘Trouble’s Coming’, the title track and ‘Limbo’ – were all premiered as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record, with the first two also subsequently playlisted at Radio 1. The three songs have already accumulated 40 million streams.
‘Boilermaker’ roars with the blistering unbridled sound of Royal Blood. As fuzzed guitar cuts through a breathtaking rhythmic backdrop the band return to the gritty sound we loved from their debut self-titled album. The song blasts into a vivid riff that bounces off an intense soundscape creating an enticing groove and instant shot of body moving adrenaline. Royal Blood are masters at crafting lean, mean bass riffs that pierce through your body and command you to dance while thunderous drums maintain a tight and infectious groove throughout. It’s a slick, well-oiled tune that dissolves into spacey psychedelia at times, with Mike Kerr’s lush falsetto echoing between the heavy mosh ready moments.
‘Boilermaker’ is released alongside an official video, which was directed by Liam Lynch (Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age). A tattooed figure emerges from a hasty burial, throws on a leather jacket and multiplies like a zombie as he marches to the song’s pulsating beat. What follows is a striking visual tapestry of twisted rock ‘n’ roll tropes and disconcerting dreamlike imagery, which perfectly complements the song’s ambience.
Watch the video for ‘Boilermaker’ below.
Author : Danu
