Enter Shikari - The Mindsweep (2015)

Enter Shikari aren't like any other rock band I've ever listened to. What they sing about has deep and thorough research behind it so that they know what they're saying and that they were making accurate statements about the topic at hand. The Mindsweep makes no shortcuts when it comes to this. Enter Shikari's fourth studio album tackles subjects that not every rock band would want to cover, like governmental activities, life, and race. Rou Reynolds, Enter Shikari's lead vocalist, even criticised other punk bands for labelling themselves as punk but not "speaking about anything important."

The Mindsweep covers a range of genres and a range of themes, including governmental activities in "Anaesthetist", to the value of life in "The Last Garrison". I first listened to Enter Shikari in 2017, after my friend recommended some of their songs to me, with "Anaesthetist" being one of them. Only now am I on my way to understanding the scope of detail that Enter Shikari put into their songs. Looking into the meaning behind each of the songs, it's difficult to piece something together because each song is put together forms a story, with a whole lot of lore and backstory. In the deluxe edition, notes were included which gave explanation to the songs. Here is an example of the notes, this one to do with "The Appeal and The Mindsweep" 1 and 2:

Source: https://imgur.com/a/WyEnm

The music itself is of excellent quality. What I particularly like about The Mindsweep is the mixture of genres. In classic Enter Shikari style, they have mixed rock music with a lot of electrical elements and styles, which is very different from other albums I've listened to. Nevertheless, it is a welcome difference, as it is executed fantastically. The music is empowering and powerful in its own right. Enter Shikari have made clear what they want to change in the world, or what they want you to understand, leaving it up to you to decide whether you agree with them or not.

The Mindsweep is, honestly, really great. It does what many albums don't: it talks about important topics and problems in the modern world, in hopes that something happens. Along with the intense meaning, the backing tracks and vocals are exceptionally well done. An impressive performance and a great listen. I highly recommend you listen to this.

Favourite Tracks: "Anaesthetist", "The Last Garrison", "Myopia", "Dear Future Historians..."

Rating: 9 / 10