It’s been a long struggle for London glam-punks Corporation:Blend; it’s only now that they’re sticking out a debut single, three years after they first formed. In that time, they’ve relentlessly toured the country, playing with the likes of Art Brut, King Adora and Six By Seven... but don’t let that put you off. C:B sound like an ungodly mix of all the best rock and roll you’ve ever heard in your life, sprinkled with synth-lines to die for, and a singer with a voice that could shatter glass.
Given their explosive repertoire, you’d be a little taken aback when hearing 'For All My Sins'; a slow-burning epic, it’s propelled by some powerhouse drumming, and one of the sexiest bass lines this side of **Placebo. Once singer Rob Owen’s siren-like voice comes in, there’s no turning back, and with a chorus that somehow manages to sound like Depeche Mode and Mansun all at once, 'For All My Sins' just might be the underground anthem of the summer.
Unfortunately, this won’t be the case, simply because the second track, 'Blew It_' is streets ahead. Welding a one-note riff to a pounding drum beat, 'Blew It' is the aural equivalent of a bloody knife fight, a mosh-inducing call to arms, and it's hard not to fall in love with them from this song alone. By the end of the track, however, the band go headlong into Muse territory, with a twiddly guitar riff, and spaced out keyboard noises that will leave your head spinning. All you’re left thinking by the end is how many times you can hit the play button before it wears out. For all their sins, Corporation:Blend have just created one of the most essential debut singles of the year. Ignore them at your peril.
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8Alex Wisgard's Score