After two UK#1albums,2 millionalbum sales and an array of international acclaim, you mightve thought you knew what to expect fromRoyal Blood. Those preconceptions were shattered when they releasedTroubles Cominglast summer. Hitting a melting pot of fiery rock riffs and danceable beats, they delivered something fresh, unexpected and yet entirely in tune with what theyd forged their reputation with.

The reaction was phenomenal, with highlights including20 millionstreams, a premiere asAnnie Macs Hottest Recordand a run onRadio 1s A-listand earned alternative radio support and media attention across the globe. In short,Royal Bloodare primed to be bigger than ever before. That feat is set to be realised when they release their eagerly anticipated third albumTyphoonsonApril 30thviaWarner Records.

WhenMike KerrandBen Thatchersat down to talk about making a new album, they knew what they wanted to achieve. It involved a conscious return to their roots, back when they had made music that was influenced byDaft Punk,Justice, andPhilippeZdarofCassius. It also called for a similar back-to-basics approach to what had made their self-titled debut album so thrilling, visceral and original.

We sort of stumbled on this sound, and it was immediately fun to play,recallsKerr.Thats what sparked the creativity on the new album, the chasing of that feeling. Its weird, though – if you think back to Figure it Out, it kind of contains the embryo of this album. We realised that we didnt have to completely destroy what wed created so far; we just had to shift it, change it. On paper, its a small reinvention. But when you hear it, it sounds so fresh.

Those traits pulsate throughout the new single and title track.Kerrsspiralling bass riff casts an hypnotic allure as it grows in intensity, while his vocals switch at will between a raw rock roar and a soulful falsetto. Its underpinned byThatchersthundering beats, his taut rhythms infused with groove-laden hi-hats.

After setting the tone withTroubles Coming, the album opens in breathless, take-no-prisoners style with the fierce metallic grooves ofWho Needs Friendshitting an early visceral peak.Royal Bloodfurther reference their fresh array of influences by deploying vocodered vocals onMillion & Onebefore dynamically switching between the biggest contrasts of their sound withLimbo. Already a fan favourite having been a regular during the duos2019shows,Boilermakerlives up to its reputation and is more than matched byMad Visions, which evokes a hyper-aggressivePrince. It ends with a final surprise in the shape of the stark piano balladAll We Have Is Now, a vulnerable and revealing reminder to live in the moment.

That songs unguarded sentiments gives the album a redemptive finale. Whether directly or allusively, the album focuses on exploring the flipside of success that theyve experienced. It comes from the realisation that success is much more complicated than it seems and that having the time to regain perspective is a precious commodity which becomes ever more elusive. The situation called for reflection and change, whichKerraddressed inLas Vegas. He downed an espresso martini and declared it to be his last drink, and soon discovered that his new-found sobriety would have a positive impact upon his creativity and life as a whole.