Line #62 Music/RoyalBlood


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/8e726f34b5977a652a825ef034228685.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Ben Thatcher and Mike Kerr]]
3
4	->''Nothing here to see,\
5	Just a kid like me,\
6	Trying to cut some teeth,\
7	Trying to figure it out.''
8	-->-- "Figure It Out"
9
10	Royal Blood are a British HardRock duo from Brighton. The band consists of Mike Kerr (vocals, bass) and Ben Thatcher (drums). You may notice that neither of them play guitar, that's because it's all done on a [[LeadBassist bass]]. They also don't use any session or touring musicians, so what you see is what you get. Formed in 2013, they got off to a quick start releasing their debut single "Out of the Black" in November. That same year, Music/ArcticMonkeys drummer Matt Helders wore a Royal Blood shirt during their Glastonbury performance, which contributed to interest in the band.[[note]]In 2023, Thatcher returned the favor and wore an Arctic Monkeys shirt during their performance at the same festival.[[/note]] Later, they relased first EP ''Out of the Black'' in March 2014 to positive reviews, containing the TitleTrack and three other songs.
11
12	In August 2014, they released their debut album ''[[SelfTitledAlbum Royal Blood]]'', which topped the UK albums charts. Their singles "Out of the Black", "Little Monster", and "Figure It Out" also crossed UsefulNotes/ThePond, placing high on the U.S. rock charts. They went on tour with the Music/FooFighters and Music/IggyPop across Europe following their debut album release. In 2018, they went on tour with Music/QueensOfTheStoneAge following the release of their sophomore album. Josh Homme went on to collaborate with Kerr on the Desert Sessions in the same year, as well as produce “Boilermaker” in 2021 off of ''Typhoons.'' The duo were invited to cover Metallica for the tribute album ''The Metallica Blacklist'' in 2021, of which they covered “Sad But True”. In 2023, they toured with Music/{{Muse}} in anticipation for their upcoming fourth album, and with Music/BadNerves during their the east coast leg of their North America tour.
13
14	! Discography
15	* ''Out of the Black'' (EP) (2014)
16	* ''[[SelfTitledAlbum Royal Blood]]'' (2014)
17	* ''How Did We Get So Dark?'' (2017)
18	* ''Typhoons'' (2021)
19	* ''Back To The Water Below'' (2023)
20
21	In media, "Out of the Black" was featured in the soundtracks of video games ''EA Sports UFC'' and ''[[VideoGame/ForzaHorizon Forza Horizon 2]]'' , and a trailer for ''[[VideoGame/EliteDangerous Elite Dangerous]]''. "Blood Hands", an album-exclusive, was featured on the soundtrack album of ''Film/TheDivergentSeriesInsurgent''.
22	----
23
24	!!This band provides examples of:
25
26	* AddictionSong: Given that Mike has been open about his issues with addiction, Royal Blood has quite a few, such as:
27	** "She’s Creeping"
28	** "Don’t Tell"
29	** "Sleep"
30	** "Honeybrains"
31	** As well as practically all of ''Back To The Water Below,'' which centers around Mike's recovery from his drug and alcohol addiction.
32	* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: "Little Monster" is about this.
33	* AnimatedMusicVideo: The music video for "Out of the Black", which also mixes in some live-action sequences.
34	* BigGuyLittleGuy: Mike is noticeably taller than Ben.
35	* BSide: "King" and "Space" off of their third album, ''Typhoons''.
36	* ConveyorBeltVideo: "I Only Lie When I Love You" features an interesting variation, where the scenes loop in a non-linear fashion while still maintaining a continuous movement.
37	* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The album art for both ''Royal Blood'' and ''How Did We Get So Dark?''. Purposefully averted with ''Typhoons'', which the band described as "[themselves] now in color."
38	* DerangedAnimation: The animated parts in the "Out of the Black" music video are sometimes [[{{Gorn}} extremely gory]].
39	* GarageRock: Their first album can be considered this, though they began to veer away after their second album.
40	* GenreThrowback: To '70s HardRock.
41	* GenreShift: The band's first two albums were unapologetically heavy, with wailing chords and crashing drums contributing to a sound reminiscent of grunge and punk rock. ''Typhoons'' is more melodic, with disco and prog rock influences giving it a softer sound a la Music/NoDoubt and Music/PrimalScream.
42	** ''Back To The Water Below'' mixes it up again, having much more melodic and orchestral compositions, though tracks "Mountains at Midnight" and "Supermodel Avalanches" are much more reminiscent of their earlier sound.
43	* LeadBassist: An unusual example of a Type A and B with Mike Kerr. He's the lead singer, but since the band has no guitarist, all of the {{epic riff}}s are done on a bass.
44	** LeadDrummer: Ben Thatcher is well known too, since they're a duo he doesn't get overshadowed.
45	* LyricalColdOpen: In “I Only Lie When I Love You.”
46	* MsFanservice: The music video for "Come On Over" features a woman going topless.
47	* NewSoundAlbum: ''Typhoons'' diverges from their usual hard rock, garage sound into something more alternative and dance rock and added piano into their discography.
48	* NippleAndDimed: The album cover art for ''How Did We Get So Dark?'' shows two topless women covered in shadow.
49	* NobodyLovesTheBassist: Averted, Mike is the bassist and frontman and gets a lot of love for his unique playing style.
50	* PerformanceVideo: For “Honeybrains”
51	* PrecisionFStrike: "Out of the Black" provides a rare instance of profanity in their music.
52	-->''And I promised you''
53	-->''Like you promised me''
54	-->''But those vows we made''
55	-->''Fucked it up for free''
56	** It happens again in "King," a B-side off of ''Typhoons''
57	--> ''I could be a motherfuckin' king''
58	** Most recently, in "There Goes My Cool"
59	--> ''Way out of my depth, I am fucked''
60	* SelfBackingVocalist: Kerr has done all of the backing vocals on their records, however during performances they've had multiple touring members (formerly Zarif Davidson, Jodie Scantlebury; currently Darren James) who have subbed in.
61	* SelfTitledAlbum: Their 2014 debut record is ''Royal Blood.''
62	* SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll: The first two albums largely revolve around toxic relationships and multiple songs from ''Typhoons'' draw on Kerr's negative experiences with the lifestyle, with Kerr claiming in an interview that the band might not have survived if he hadn't gotten sober.
63	** Further expanded on and one of the main subjects of ''Back to the Water Below,'' such as the b-side "Supermodel Avalanches" which is a critique of egotistical, stereotypical rockstars
64	-->''Blissful amphetamines''
65	-->''Nosebleeds in the fast lane''
66	-->''They lust at a dreamer''
67	-->''Jet skis ride in seas of champagne''
68	** Additonally, they had a [[https://x.com/royalblooduk/status/632146017622884352?s=46&t=4S4mzoiaTd6-KOwAxZd37A merch design]] back in 2015 that said “Sex, Drugs, & Royal Blood,” so they seem to be pretty aware that their music falls into this trope.
69	* SurrealMusicVideo: “Out Of The Black,” which consists of animated and live action segments.
70	* TitleDrop: “Pull Me Through” has one for ''Back To The Water Below''
71	-->''Tone deaf with a headache for one''
72	-->''Back to the water below''
73	-->''Alone, as I float like a stone''
74	* TitleTrack: ''How Did We Get So Dark?'' and ''Typhoons'' each have a respective title track.

Context Music / RoyalBlood