ALBUM REVIEW: Dark & Beautiful Secrets – Normandie

The Irish poet W.B. Yeats once said, “only an aching heart conceives a changeless work of art”. This is a perfect way to sum up the third album from NORMANDIE. The Swedish trio comprise of vocalist Philip Strand, guitarist Håkan Almbladh and drummer Anton Franzon. Despite having released two albums previously, this is the one that feels like the true NORMANDIE sound. Coming out of a period of time that included de-personalisation and severe anxiety, will Dark & Beautiful Secrets be the album that both new and old fans can enjoy?

Babylon is the first of ten songs. Starting off with a guitar riff and drum beat before vocalist Strand joins in, the song is attention grabbing. The lyrics are direct, asking the listener if they are following the band ‘down the rabbit hole’. The production sounds like a b-side from BRING ME THE HORIZON‘s album amo that was left out because it would outshine the album. Unfortunately, the instruments play the same notes over and over again, which can become a bit repetitive. On the other hand, Strand‘s vocals are charming enough to captivate the listener to continue listening to the album.

Thankfully, Hostage is a lot simpler when it comes to the instrumental arrangement. This therefore allows the lyrics to tell the story. Based on an experience with severe anxiety and de-personalisation when he was 22, Strand‘s lyrics really resonate with the listener. The lyrics tell a story about being a hostage to anxiety. The production on Jericho is smooth, which makes the transition from Hostage a lot smoother. The instruments on Jericho are a lot more heavier and thankfully, this does not mean that the vocals get drowned out as the production means that the listener can hear everything clearly.

Strand has written the most candour lyrics on this album. The topics covered include leaving religion (Holy Water, Bury Me Alive and Renegade), and love (Chemicals). However, it’s the song Mission Control that is the standout song. The dance/rock song has a funky guitar riff that continues throughout the song and the build-up to the chorus is perfect. This is thanks to the production. Despite each song sounding slightly different, the pacing does not mean that each song sounds jarringly different.

In conclusion, Dark & Beautiful Secrets is a fantastic album by NORMANDIE. Full of honest lyrics, amazing instruments and killer vocals, the band have outdone themselves. There is something for everyone on this album. Furthermore, the pacing is not jarring and the production is clear cut throughout. This is the definitive NORMANDIE album, and one that is definitely ‘changeless art’.

Rating: 8/10

Dark & Beautiful Secrets is set for release on February 19th via Easy Life Records. 

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