Don Broco Album Review: Nightmare Tripping shows their boundary-pushing spirit | Music | Entertainment

Don Broco have never done things the way people expected them to – and that hasn’t changed now. In their early days, the Bedford-based band, made up of Rob Damiani (vocals); Simon Delaney (guitar); Tom Doyle (bass) and Matt Donnelly (drums), appealed to a fan base of fun-loving cheeky chaps, just like them, who enjoyed the mockery of ‘Thug Workout’ and easy-going themes on their debut album Priorities. Since then, they have grown into an arena-filling band with fans from every end of the musical spectrum. A fan base that has continued to grow with each album, all of which have been released at their own pace.

In a music landscape that is rapidly moving forward and bands are constantly pressured to think about what’s next, Don Broco have stayed committed to doing what’s right for them. The band’s last album, Amazing Things which reached UK number one, was released five years ago, in 2021. Their third studio album Technology was released three years before that, and their sophomore album the playful Automatic was released in 2015. If there’s anything to take away from the wait for their fifth studio album, it’s to trust the process.

On Nightmare Tripping, the first release with Fearless Records, the band have delivered a perfectly crafted 11-track album which is more experimental and exciting than the last, yet still retains their signature ‘Don Broco-ness’. By continuing to combine Rob’s unique vocals with their ability to dive deep lyrically, they have created an album that is both heavy and serious, but undeniably fun.

As the rules and boundaries of heavy metal continue to blur, bands like Sleep Token and Bring Me The Horizon (BMTH) are proving there’s no longer one way to do things. On this album, with the help of producer Dan Lancaster (BMTH), Don Broco have embraced that spirit as well. They have found the perfect playground to merge their own musical experiences with key influences such as Limp Bizkit and Deftones.

The album’s nu-metal infused opener ‘Cellophane’, first released last summer, was the perfect intro into the band’s evolving sound and showcased their intention to be bolder and braver. Inspired by a world that’s ‘increasingly unsteady’ the track set the tone for a heavier direction. If there was any doubt about this new approach, the singles that followed; heavy-hitter ‘Hype Man’, and fiery track ‘Disappear’ which featured impassioned screams from Rob, made it clear where they were headed. Fans will be pleased to know that the rest of the album follows suit.

Each track pushes the band’s creative abilities but does well not to scare fans away by changing too quickly. We see this on tracks like ‘Pacify Me’ where Rob’s grunts add a layer of rawness to the track, while Matt’s vocals soften out the mood. This faultless recipe of combining the two vocals isn’t something new, but it’s spotlighted more in tracks ‘Ghost In The Night’ — almost the second coming of Amazing Thing’s ‘One True Prince’ – and ‘Somersault’. And it only offers the band more opportunities to continue to play with melodies and vocal textures.

Ultimately, the quartet understands what their fans want; they want catchy tunes, with hard hooks and the opportunity to shout, scream and mosh the night away in a live environment.This is why when listening to the build up in ‘Swimming Pools’ you easily imagine standing shoulder to shoulder, in a sweaty room, waiting for the final breakdown to be delivered with a mosh pit amped up by Rob and the others. After all, the live environment is when the band are at their best.

This is clear with the anthematic ‘True Believer’. Featuring Architect’s Sam Carter, his strong vocals amplifies the feelings of anger Rob admitted he felt when writing the piece. This anger goes hand in hand with what Broco fans are used to; shouting at the top of their lungs for anthems like ‘Uber’ and ‘Bruce Willis’.

Across the band’s four previous albums they never had a feature, now, fans are treated to not one, but two. In addition to Sam Carter, the title track (which is also the longest on the album), features none other than Canadian rockers Nickelback. It’s a frantic but exhilarating track that showcases the full extent of the band’s willingness to push boundaries and try out something new. At times it does feel ‘trippy’, but it’s that exact chaotic nature, paired with the pleading vocals of frontman Chad Kroeger that makes it so appealing.

The only slightly jarring track is the album’s closer ‘The Corner’ – not for its heaviness but the opposite. For me, it would have been better placed in the middle of the album. While experimental and enjoyable in its own way, it doesn’t match the tone and charge of the rest of the album. But, I suspect it will be a grower. After all, it might be a tactical choice from a band who are turning to all ends of the spectrum for inspiration.

Stepping into new territory, and trying new things can be a battle that’s hard to win, especially in this new music landscape, but it’s not one the band are afraid to shy away from. They only have themselves to please, and with Nightmare Tripping it’s certainly paid off.