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Kasabian

The Alchemist’s Euphoria

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KASABIAN – THE ALCHEMIST’S EUPHORIA – ALBUM REVIEW

To say that Kasabian’s seventh studio album, ‘The Alchemist’s Euphoria’, comes with a burden of added pressure would probably be an understatement. When one of the biggest bands in the country loses an iconic member then eyes will naturally be on what comes next, this is amplified when that iconic member is the singer!

Not to mention that it’s the nature of the world that we live in that those eyes watching are bound to be highly critical. No doubt, there will be many looking on and hoping to see Kasabian fail for various reasons.

Thankfully for the band they have already taken the time out to prove the doubters wrong in the live setting, with the band confirming that they are still one of the best live acts on the scene, the question is now turned to their studio output.

One of the reasons for Kasabian’s success over the years has been their adaptability and willingness to experiment. This works in their favour when reflecting on ‘The Alchemist’s Euphoria’, as whilst it doesn’t give the band a free pass it certainly allows extra freedom to explore their sound.

WATCH ‘CHEMICALS’ FROM KASABIAN ON YOUTUBE
Kasabian – ‘CHEMICALS’

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With guitarist Serge Pizzorno moving to the vacated lead vocals position, some clearly wondered if he would take the band down the more electronic route of his SLP side project. Alternatively would the band return to their early sound or maybe just continue on the path of 2017’s ‘For Crying Out Loud’.

The answer here is the one that probably should’ve been expected from the start – all of the above!

You can certainly feel the Pizzorno influence taking a bigger hold, there are nods to the early lad-rock leanings of the band and there are some playful festival favourites the likes of which emerged from the albums predecessor.

To an extent this is clearly Kasabian pressing the reset button. With ‘The Alchemist’s Euphoria’, the band has reassured fans that the past isn’t forgotten but the future remains one of exploration just as it would of done.

This album does what it needs to do to shore up the ship, but it almost leaves you now asking what’s next. This isn’t a forgettable album but it is a cleansing album to purge the difficulties of recent years and set up what’s to come.

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Read our review of Kasabian live in Norwich

Categories
Live Reviews

Kasabian

UEA LCR, Norwich

Thursday 21st July 2022

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KASABIAN – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

To say this week has been hot would be the understatement of the century. So, whilst the opportunity to cram into a sold out UEA LCR in Norwich isn’t the most appealing; doing so to catch indie rock royalty Kasabian play an intimate headline show makes it unmissable.

The dust has firmly settled on the well publicised line-up change in the band, and massive slots at the Isle of Wight and Knebworth this summer have just solidified what fans discovered on the bands return tour last year – new look Kasabian remain one the best live bands on the circuit.

This show was originally set to be part of their lowkey return tour, but illness saw the show postponed to now. The show is in effect now a small warm-up for their headline set at Tramlines this weekend.

The band are given a hero’s welcome from the pumped up audience as they arrive on stage. The atmosphere in the venue tonight is as hot as the weather has been and it all goes off as Kasabian kick off with ‘Club Foot’, ‘Ill Ray (The King)’ and ‘Underdog’!

WATCH ‘SCRIPTVRE’ FROM KASABIAN ON YOUTUBE
Kasabian – ‘SCRIPTVRE’

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Sweaty bodies are everywhere as the band continue to showcase their reinvigorated live show. Newly minted frontman Serge Pizzorno stalks the stage like a man possessed, he controls the crowd with natural ease as he steps out of the shadows to the forefront of the band.

Kasabian always were a phenomenal live act, and the line-up switch doesn’t change that. The genius step that the band has taken is to add The Music frontman Rob Harvey to their live line-up. Harvey fills the huge void left by Pizzorno in his previous role and adds a whole new level to the groups sound.

Nobody can doubt the quality of their back catalogue with tracks like ‘You’re In Love With a Psycho’, ‘Shoot the Runner’, ‘stevie’, ‘Empire’ and ‘Vlad the Impaler’ on offer tonight. What the band does in the studio next will be interesting but new tracks ‘CHEMICALS’ and ‘ALYGATYR’ show they still have plenty to offer.

Any doubt that Kasabian remain a viable live entity has been dispelled and come this winter, the band will once again be gracing arenas across the UK.

They sign off this evening with an encore of ‘Bless This Acid House’, ‘L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever)’ and ‘Fire’. It’s been a night to remember for the audience and another statement made by a reinvented and rejuvenated band.

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Read our review of ‘C’MON YOU KNOW’ from Liam Gallagher