Butcher Babies: NIGHTBLOOM

NIGHTBLOOM is Butcher Babies’ sixth studio album, set to be released on 2 October via Judge & Jury Records, and what we know so far suggests this album could be the band’s most compelling yet. With producer Howard Benson behind the album, who has also worked with bands such as My Chemical Romance and Halestorm, NIGHTBLOOM is certainly shaping up to be a major release, and Butcher Babies’ consistent momentum as a band proves that it isn’t out of reach.

Opening the album with the already-released single, we have ‘Lost In Your Touch’. With prominent metalcore aspects and Heidi Shepherd’s killer vocals taking the song by storm, it carries plenty of weight as an opening track. It is no different lyrically, either, exploring themes of loving someone you can’t have and the envy that stems from something deeper and more complicated.

The next song to touch on is the single that dropped alongside the announcement of NIGHTBLOOM – ‘Blame It On The Wind’. This song blends melodic riffs with a type of vulnerability rarely found in a song with so much ferocity and drive. As a single, it once again shows just how versatile Butcher Babies are, proving their ability to create something wholly unique out of the same riffs and sounds that have been around for years.

Then we have ‘Broken & Beautiful’, an album track that embodies what it means to still be a beautiful person despite the cracks and flaws we have as people, and how these things shouldn’t stop us from achieving our dreams and goals. The song embraces the idea that there is nothing wrong with being ‘Broken & Beautiful’, and it is an anthem for people who feel like they can’t be both at the same time, when unapologetically, you can.

Following on, there’s ‘Black Clouds Over Georgia’, and this song draws heavily on themes connected to Heidi’s internal struggles. She has spoken about the therapy she has gone through, which helped bring to the surface memories she had suppressed, and the ‘black clouds’ referenced in this song can be read as a deeper metaphor for what she experienced at the lowest points in her life. It’s a song full of vulnerability, acting as a message to listeners who may be going through a hard time.

Another album track is ‘Songbird’, a song about finding your freedom and refusing to stick around for the people who get in your way. With underlying tension and anger beneath its riffs and melodies, ‘Songbird’ is more than just a song – it’s a statement about defending yourself.

The final track on the album is ‘Black Dove’, another song that utilises the imagery of a bird, but for a different reason. It can be read as emphasising the importance of straying from the crowd and being yourself, even if that means leaving behind the life you once had to live your truth.

NIGHTBLOOM demonstrates that Butcher Babies want anything but a predetermined formula. With vulnerability, ferocity and drive running throughout the album, they continue to distinguish themselves within the scene, proving their ability to create something truly unique.