Black Foxxes - Reiði

On their follow up to haunting debut ‘I’m Not Well’, Black Foxxes wave goodbye to ethereal atmospherics, packing a heftier punch with some serious hooks. ‘Reiði’ sees the band embrace their melodic side, not least in the furious one-two of ‘Manic In Me’ and the excellent lead single ‘Saela’, both of which showcase their vastly heightened confidence.

The experimental ‘JOY’ sits as a thunderous midpoint to a record that ultimately sees vocalist Mark Holley go full on Jeff Buckley in stunning closer ‘Float On’, a track which perfectly captures the two sides of Black Foxxes. It’s this balance of hearty riffs and atypical atmospheric twists that continually define their sound. ‘Reiði’ is peppered with surprises, from the thoughtfully used trumpets in ‘JOY’ to the gut-wrenching delivery of the comparably stripped back ‘Take Me Home’.

Mark has lost none of the pain that dominated the aptly titled ‘I’m Not Well’, yet on ‘Reiði’ it takes a step back to allow their melodies to take to the fore. Album opener ‘Breathe’ acts as bridge, pairing the disarming line “I don’t know why I left my house the day that you died” with the optimistic repeated refrain “I want to set myself free.”

And ‘Reiði’ does just that, presenting an awakening from the bleak nature of their debut. It fully embraces Black Foxxes’ pop influences without sacrificing any of the claustrophobic density that defined their earlier sound. They continue to create and deliver captivatingly unique songs, further cementing themselves as one of the most exciting bands in British alternative rock.