ALBUM REVIEW: White Flag – Normandie
There’s little doubt that Swedish rock quartet NORMANDIE should be applauded for managing to steady the ship following the departure of their former, heavier co-vocalist before the release of their debut record. However it’s White Flag that looks set to light the first ignition on the bands hunt for global recognition.
Predecessor Inguz took the band into playful rock territory, and with some success too – NORMANDIE have built up a fair bit of steam in the last two years, enough to see them sell out London’s Boston Music Room. White Flag is where the band try to step from untapped potential to sure fire superstars though, and they land with varying success.
The greatest charm within White Flag‘s locker is that at no point do NORMANDIE try to be anything that they’re not. There’s no jarring, and unnecessary heavy sections thrown in just to try and grab a different audience – this record is directly carefree soft rock. It’s an album that is lasered towards fans of THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS and current day BRING ME THE HORIZON; extensive choruses, lush melodies and brash charisma.
The three song run of the title track, Enough, and Dead condense the band into one, melodic, three fisted punch. Playful synths and smooth guitar lines give the four piece an accessible feel. Similar to YOU ME AT SIX during the Hold Me Down era – it’s rock music that while easy on the ear has a distinct vibe in its youthful nods. You can envisage the Swedes going down a storm with fans of DON BROCO, TWIN ATLANTIC etc.
The emotive twists of The Bell give a calming, if a little uneventful aura over proceedings. Even when Philip Strand delivers vocals in the band’s native tongue, you’re waiting for the hooks and crooks of the track to arrive. Keep Fucking It Up suffers in the same vein, while it possesses more of a rhythmic charge – there’s no brute force able to change the tempo here.
Fans of more authentic, organic forms of rock will find it a struggle to catch on to White Flag. And when Don’t Need You and Maniacs bleed into techno rock/pop more traditional fans of the genre will undoubtedly be turned away. But ironically this works in the bands favour, at no point are NORMANDIE trying to branch their audience, they know what they are, they know the crowd they’re gunning for.
It’s not unreasonable to foresee the star of NORMANDIE becoming a fair bit brighter following the release of this record. Your more habitual residents in the rock scene won’t find much offered to them here, but those looking for an unabashed, youthful rock band that put all their focus into a chorus that hooks you will no doubt discover a new home in the shelter of NORMANDIE.
Rating: 7/10
White Flag is set for release on October 26th via Easy Life Records.
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