Spoken have released their ninth studio album, aptly titled IX. The CD is available from their online store and from digital retailers such as Spotify and iTunes.
I didn’t pre-order the CD and I regret that. When they announced the Kickstarter, the band stated that Scoop, the guitarist, had left the band but had already written and recorded the guitar tracks (see the video from the pledge page). I was concerned by this somewhat fractured process and felt it would negatively impact the record, and I wasn’t too sure if it would turn out alright. It’s not unusual for songs to be recorded in stages and mixed together, but felt that it would be too disjointed.
I’m happy to say that I was wrong. The album is really good and I ordered it as soon as I gave it a listen. 2017 has been a bit of a quiet year for new music, but regardless I think I can safely say IX is the best record of 2017 at this stage. My only real criticism would be that it feels a little bit short, especially with Breathe Again coming in at 14 songs, 10 songs is noticeably shorter.
Favourite song: In My Sight. I may be a metalhead but I tend to rate bands largely on their ballads and Spoken are one band that knows how to do them well, and this song is absolutely beautiful.
Tracklist:
- This Is Not The End
- Stronger
- Dying Without You
- Silence
- I Will Not Fade
- Remember The Memories
- Pages Of The Past
- The Light
- Sleepless Nights
- In My Sight