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2018 was a sad time for Shields<\/strong> and their fans, not only did the band lose guitarist and friend George Christie<\/strong>, but they understandably also called time on the band. Now they\u2019re back with new album Death & Connection<\/em> and this is an album that hits death head on and is actually the best Shields<\/strong> music to date.<\/span><\/p>\n I love the atmospheric instrumentation behind the speech in opening track This is Not a Dream<\/em>. The words are powerful, focusing on the realisation that Joe<\/strong>\u2019s previous relationship was abusive and the track is almost like a therapeutic exercise for him.<\/span><\/p>\n This is in direct contract to the absolute rager that follows in ABUSER<\/em>. This was a conscious decision according to Sam<\/strong> to show the intense anger and ferocity. From the get go it\u2019s brutal and in your face and I love it. <\/span><\/p>\n Kill<\/em> is another brutal one which Joe<\/strong> highlights how it is heavily inspired by his late brother, with the lyrics coming from a poem he wrote, and the rapping which is a genre he introduced Joe<\/strong> to when he was younger. The breakdowns in the track are sick, and the lyrics are ones that someone with an addiction or having recovered from an addiction will relate to. I feel the lines \u201cBaby steps, just twelve of them<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Showed me my problems lie within<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n The hardest part I thought was not drinking<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n The hard part was life without drinking<\/em>\u201d hit hard.<\/span><\/p>\n I kinda want to send Lacerate<\/em> (which features Graphic Nature<\/strong>\u2019s Harvey Freeman<\/strong>) to everyone I dislike because it\u2019s absolutely brutal and the line \u201cI wish you nothing but misery<\/em>\u201d repeated throughout us quite accurate. The extreme breakdowns in this and Wolfskin<\/em> (which features Left To Suffer<\/strong>\u2019s Taylor Barber<\/strong>) are absolutely class.<\/span><\/p>\n Brother\u2019s Lament<\/em> is just over a minute and a half and although there is no words until just over the minute mark, you can feel the emotion from the elegy of the instrumentation. <\/span><\/p>\n Sam<\/strong> mentions how Loser<\/em> is a bit of a palate cleanse after the brutality of the majority of the album and allows the listener to prepare for the final two songs and it is. <\/span><\/p>\n The last two songs are probably the most emotional on the record, with Death & Connection<\/em> being Joe<\/strong> bearing all of his emotions following the death of his brother, and Miss Me<\/em> being the band\u2019s tribute to their late bandmate George<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n The titular track combines melodic elements with brutal anger and frustration, whilst Miss Me<\/em> is much more somber and melodic, focusing on George<\/strong>\u2019s funeral. It\u2019s a beautiful song.<\/span><\/p>\n The album shows Shields<\/strong>\u2019 growth. The introduction of synths add a lighter element to what is a largely heavy record. The vocal deliveries are flawless, whether its guttural screams, Parasites<\/em>\u2019 smooth cleans or the rapping in Kill<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n The instrumentation is solid throughout, going absolutely hard and I have to feel for Alastair<\/strong>\u2019s hands and arms after recording this as you can hear the intensity of the drums is switched right up to 300% throughout the album.<\/span><\/p>\n All of the songs focus around experiences with either the death of a close loved one or toxic and abusive relationships and the lyrical content is top notch, perfectly bringing across the feelings that the band had during the experiences they are drawing from, as well as putting those same feelings to the front of the minds of the listener if they\u2019ve had a similar experience. <\/span><\/p>\n