ARTIST STORY
ROYAL BLOOD.
IMAGE CREDIT: Thesupermat / Wikimedia Commons · Royal Blood live at Les Vieilles Charrues, 15 July 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped for the hero image.
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Open in Spotify ↗With Royal Blood, after the first riff, you naturally expect a guitarist to be standing somewhere. But on stage, there is only Mike Kerr with his bass and Ben Thatcher behind the drum kit. The fact that you still hear such a wide sound is no trick on the fringes of their music. It is the idea.
TWO MEN, ONE BIG SHADOW.
The British friends play as if they are constantly challenging each other. Thatcher holds a rhythm and pushes it just a little further; Kerr lets his bass growl low and shoot high. His vocals search for a melody above that violence. In Out of the Black and Figure It Out, both on the 2014 debut Royal Blood, you hear how directly that works. A small lineup never sounds small here.
The distinctive sound also comes from letting space breathe. When the drums fall silent for a moment, the next beat carries more weight. A heavy riff does more when almost nothing could be heard just before. That interplay between emptiness and volume makes their debut an album you can follow closely on vinyl: without pulling the songs out of their momentum.
THE RIFF CHANGES COLOUR.
On How Did We Get So Dark? (2017), the band sounds more confident, with more room for melody and contrast. Typhoons (2021) then takes an unexpected turn. The bass remains solid, but the rhythm moves towards the dance floor. Trouble’s Coming shows how dark lyrics and an almost irresistible groove can coexist.
Back to the Water Below (2023) seeks breath again. The album gives the songs more space and makes it audible that Royal Blood does not want to repeat the same riff forever. From ALTERNATIVE ROCK, that is the interesting side of the band: staying true to a sound without getting stuck in it. GARAGE ROCK offers a different entry point, through the raw directness of a duo that needs little.
THE NEXT ALBUM IS ALREADY READY.
Dead Company has been announced for 13 November 2026. At SJELF., a standard edition and a coloured pressing are available for pre-order. The album is not yet among the four released studio albums; on the ARTIST PAGE, you can see the available versions and current ordering status.
Anyone who wants to continue the tension between a small lineup and a big sound can also read the NOTHING BUT THIEVES ARTIST STORY. There, a full band works with a similar love for contrast, but with a completely different sound. And in LIVE ON VINYL, it is about what happens when a song leaves the studio.
THE FACTS
ORIGIN · England
MEMBERS · Mike Kerr (vocals, bass) and Ben Thatcher (drums)
DEBUT · Royal Blood (2014)
NEXT RELEASE · Dead Company, announced for 13 November 2026
ESSENTIAL DISCOGRAPHY
The four released studio albums, in order.
- 2014Royal Blood
- 2017How Did We Get So Dark?
- 2021Typhoons
- 2023Back to the Water Below
According to the band, Dead Company follows on 13 November 2026. View the six editions on the Artist Page.
FAQ
Who makes up Royal Blood?
Royal Blood is a duo: Mike Kerr sings and plays bass, Ben Thatcher plays drums.
Do they play without a guitarist?
Yes. The distinctive guitar sound you think you hear is created mainly from Kerr's bass and the way the band makes it sound.
Which album should I start with?
The debut Royal Blood is the direct entry. Choose Typhoons if you want to hear the rhythmic, danceable side of the band.
How many studio albums have been released?
Four have been released up to September 2026. Dead Company has been announced for November 2026 and is available for pre-order at SJELF.
Where can I find their records on vinyl?
On the Royal Blood Artist Page, you will find the editions at SJELF., with prices and current availability per product.
ONE THING YOU DIDN’T KNOW.
The surprising thing about Typhoons is that Royal Blood did not have to give up the heavy bass to sound danceable. The same two instruments suddenly move the music in a different direction.
THE FINAL WORD.
TWO IS ENOUGH.
Royal Blood does not fill the space by constantly adding more. They know exactly when a riff should stop and the next beat should fall. Put the needle on the debut, play Typhoons afterwards, and hear how many worlds fit between two musicians.
Explore at SJELF. Royal Blood – Dead Company (1LP, Coloured Vinyl), Royal Blood – Dead Company (1LP Vinyl), Royal Blood – Back To the Water Below (1LP Vinyl), Royal Blood – Typhoons (1LP Vinyl), Royal Blood – How Did We Get So Dark? (1LP Vinyl), Royal Blood – Royal Blood (1LP Vinyl). The product pages show the vinyl editions and the LP format.
