Enter Shikari have invited St. Louis, Missouri post-hardcore quintet Story Of The Year along as main support on the band’s January 2010 European headline tour, and as openers on the UK dates in February 2010 (which feature The King Blues as main support). What’s more, Story Of The Year have accepted this invitation. Everyone is very pleased.
The tour starts in Denmark on the 8th Jan, and ends on the 12th Feb with a show at London’s 5,000 capacity Hammersmith Apollo. Unfortunately, due to commitments back in the USA, Story Of The Year will be unable to appear at the Hammersmith show. When we know what will happen instead, we will make an announcement of the London line-up.
There will be an Enter Shikari release to coincide with the UK dates. Details are still sketchy, but the release will definitely feature two brand new tracks recorded in November 2009 with ‘Common Dreads‘ producer Andy Gray on the Isle Of Wight prior to the band starting their current European tour as support on The Prodigy’s arena tour of Europe.
In a display of generosity, Enter Shikari offers to the world a free download of the previously unreleased ‘radio mix’ of album track ‘Wall‘. Originally remixed by ‘Common Dreads‘ producer Andy Gray specifically for radio promo use, the track was deemed too different and of interest to fans to remain locked away, but too similar to the original to have the cheek to charge cold hard cash for. So, instead, it’s being offered out as a free download for anyone that wants to take it. The track can be found here: 
Did we ever expect such a mutant of a second record by St Albans myriad metal-heads? Of course we did, these unconventional scamps, know no different. You only have to exposure your ears to opening track ’Solidarity’ and immediately it’s apparent the abrasive genre-bending intent of the quartet. Scurrying along through screamo, trance, fluorescent rave beats, nihilistic metal and nu-rave- Enter Shikari’s schizophrenic attempt sees Rou Reynolds sounding all too often like Mike Skinner when he’s not tearing his larynx to its limits with incessant screams. And like most, with their feet under the table, Enter Shikari have started to throw their caps into fighting against the derisory politics of this world. None more vocal in sonic single ‘Juggernaut’ Reynolds screams “Thou shall not pass” a sarcastic yell towards the city bank elite. And from that dance laden spree, Reynolds and co pound into the drum and bass, part Slipknot, part The Streets rollercoaster bulge of ‘The Jester’. “Everything we stand for is rather unstable, right now” Reynolds jokes in but in reality this is where Enter Shikari are right now as rudderless at our government. In it’s entirety it represents a spew of sounds that may well have been better if kept in that blurted out in a sea of shit. Confusing, muddled and completely disappointing.
