Sleigh Bells’ highly–anticipated Reign of Terror starts off with an explosion: a screaming crowd, Alexis Krauss’s candy pop voice and Derek Miller’s bleeding guitar. On their second album, the duo give fans a grander, more developed sound instead of regurgitating their 2010 hit Treats. They slow things down, add more orchestration and incorporate a melodic focus. Even with Miller’s omnipresent crunchy guitar, the group’s noise–pop sounds prettier than ever — in the best way possible, as if its edges have been softened. The band proves they haven’t lost their teeth: Sleigh Bells still electrifies, but with a more refined, all–encompassing energy.
4/5 Stars
