How Did We Get So Dark?

Last updated

How Did We Get So Dark?
Royal-Blood-How-Did-We-Get-So-Dark.jpg
Studio album by
Released16 June 2017 (2017-06-16)
Recorded2016–2017
Studio
  • ICP (Brussels)
  • RAK (London)
Genre Hard rock
Length34:25
Label Warner Bros.
Producer
Royal Blood chronology
Royal Blood
(2014)
How Did We Get So Dark?
(2017)
Typhoons
(2021)
Singles from How Did We Get So Dark?
  1. "Lights Out"
    Released: 13 April 2017 [1]
  2. "I Only Lie When I Love You"
    Released: 8 June 2017
  3. "How Did We Get So Dark?"
    Released: 20 October 2017
  4. "Hole in Your Heart"
    Released: 20 March 2018 [2]

How Did We Get So Dark? is the second studio album by British hard rock duo Royal Blood. The album was released by Warner Bros. Records on 16 June 2017. [3]

Contents

The album is considered by most critics to be stylistically similar[ citation needed ] to the band's breakthrough debut album, with Kerr's bass serving as the music's focal point, but it incorporates more blues and psychedelic influences. It received generally positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success.[ citation needed ]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 6.4/10 [4]
Metacritic 71/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Classic Rock Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
DorkStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Exclaim! 6/10 [9]
Financial Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
MusicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [11]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
The Spill MagazineStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [13]

The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, attaining a Metacritic aggregate score of 71.

It was elected by Loudwire as the 7th best hard rock album of 2017. [14]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Mike Kerr; all music is composed by Royal Blood, except where noted

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."How Did We Get So Dark?"  3:17
2."Lights Out"
  • Mike Kerr
  • John Barrett
  • Royal Blood
  • John Barrett
3:57
3."I Only Lie When I Love You"  2:49
4."She's Creeping"  3:23
5."Look Like You Know"  3:05
6."Where Are You Now?"  2:46
7."Don't Tell"
  • Mike Kerr
  • John Barrett
  • Royal Blood
  • John Barrett
3:38
8."Hook, Line & Sinker"  3:28
9."Hole in Your Heart"  3:46
10."Sleep" 
  • Royal Blood
  • Patrick Berger
4:16
Total length:34:25
Super deluxe vinyl bonus 7" [15]
No.TitleLength
11."Cheap Affection"2:55
12."Half the Chance"3:18
Total length:40:38

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's booklet. [16]

Royal Blood

Production

Imagery

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2017)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [17] 4
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [18] 13
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [19] 2
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [20] 2
Canadian Albums (Billboard) [21] 8
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI) [22] 43
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [23] 8
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [24] 28
French Albums (SNEP) [25] 37
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [26] 17
Greek Albums (IFPI) [27] 19
Irish Albums (IRMA) [28] 4
Italian Albums (FIMI) [29] 29
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [30] 6
Polish Albums (ZPAV) [31] 23
Portuguese Albums (AFP) [32] 8
Scottish Albums (OCC) [33] 1
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [34] 25
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [35] 4
UK Albums (OCC) [36] 1
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [37] 1
US Billboard 200 [38] 25
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [39] 6

Year-end charts

Chart (2017)Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [40] 31
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [41] 112
UK Albums (OCC) [42] 39

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