Beneath the Skin (Of Monsters and Men album)

Beneath the Skin is the second studio album by Icelandic indie folk band Of Monsters and Men; it was released on 8 June 2015 in Iceland,[1] and a day later in the rest of the world.[2] The album artwork and design was created by artistic director Leif Podhajsky.[3] It debuted at number three on US Billboard 200, and sold 61,000 copies in its first week, becoming the band's highest-charting album in the country.

Beneath the Skin
Studio album by
Of Monsters and Men
Released8 June 2015 (2015-06-08)
Recorded2014–2015
Genre
Length48:33
LabelRepublic
Producer
Of Monsters and Men chronology
Live from Vatnagarðar
(2013)		 Beneath the Skin
(2015)		 Fever Dream
(2019)
Icelandic release
Singles from Beneath the Skin
  1. "Crystals"
    Released: 16 March 2015
  2. "I of the Storm"
    Released: 28 April 2015
  3. "Empire"
    Released: 14 May 2015
  4. "Hunger"
    Released: 26 May 2015
  5. "Wolves Without Teeth"
    Released: 27 January 2016

The album title is derived from a lyric in the song "Human": "Plants awoke and they slowly grow beneath the skin."

The album was nominated for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

Singles

"Crystals", "I of the Storm", "Empire", "Hunger" and "Wolves Without Teeth" were released as the album's singles.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic63/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
Billboard[5]
Consequence of SoundC[6]
Entertainment WeeklyB[7]
Q
Sputnikmusic4/5[8]

Beneath the Skin received generally positive reviews from critics. Madison Vain of Entertainment Weekly stated, "Lyrics brim with woodsy imagery, and the sweet vocals elevate these campfire tunes into something extravagant.[7]

Commercial performance

On the chart dated 27 June 2015, Beneath The Skin debuted at number 3 on the US Billboard 200 chart with 61,000 copies in the first week of its release (including 57,000 pure album sales), becoming the highest-charting album by the band there. Its first-week sales made it the best sales week of the band.[9]

The album also made it entry at number 10 on the UK Albums Chart, selling 8,437 copies.[10] It dropped to number 40 with 2,749 units in the second week on chart.[11]

Track listing

All songs are credited to Of Monsters and Men, but were actually written by the band's individuals and/or others. The actual writers are listed alongside the tracks.[12]

Icelandic release[13]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Crystals"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson4:02
2."Human"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson3:58
3."Hunger"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson4:50
4."Wolves Without Teeth"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson3:58
5."Empire"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson4:22
6."Winter Sound"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson3:42
7."Slow Life"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson5:43
8."Organs"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson4:31
9."Black Water"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson4:13
10."Thousand Eyes"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson4:02
11."I of the Storm"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson4:36
12."We Sink"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson, Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson4:23
13."Backyard"Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson4:19
Universal Music Group "standard" release[14]
No.TitleLength
1."Crystals"4:02
2."Human"3:58
3."Hunger"4:50
4."Wolves Without Teeth"3:58
5."Empire"4:22
6."Slow Life"5:43
7."Organs"4:31
8."Black Water"4:13
9."Thousand Eyes"4:02
10."I of the Storm"4:36
11."We Sink"4:23
Total length:48:33
Universal Music Group "deluxe" release[15]
No.TitleLength
12."Backyard"4:19
13."Winter Sound"3:42
14."Black Water" (Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear Remix)4:27
15."I of the Storm" (Alex Somers Remix)4:32
Total length:65:33

Music and lyric videos

There are three music videos, each for "Crystals", "Empire", and "Wolves Without Teeth". In addition, there are thirteen lyric videos.

Lyric videos
  • "Crystals" lyric video features actor Siggi Sigurjóns lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
  • "I of the Storm" lyric video features actor Atli Freyr Demantur lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
  • "Empire" lyric video features actress Guðrún Bjarnadóttir lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
  • "Hunger" lyric video features actress Natalie G. Gunnarsdóttir lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
  • "Human" lyric video features actor Björn Stefánsson lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
  • "Organs" lyric video features one of the band's lead vocalists Nanna lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
  • "Thousand Eyes" lyric video features actor Ingvar E. Sigurðsson lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
  • "Wolves Without Teeth" lyric video features actresses Erna Jónasdóttir and Hrefna Jónasdóttir lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
  • "Black Water" lyric video features actress Guðrún Gísladóttir lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
  • "Winter Sound" lyric video features actor Ólafur Darri Ólafsson lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
  • "Slow Life" lyric video features actor Tómas Lemarquis lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
  • "We Sink" lyric video features actors Heba Aljakari, Jimmy Salinas, Julie Loparia, Kansha Iyassu, Khaalid Saaid Jeylani, Majid Zarei and Nazanin Askari lip-syncing the song's lyrics.
  • "Backyard" lyric video features actress Dýrfinna Benita lip-syncing the song's lyrics.

All the videos start with their title cards.

Music videos
  • "Crystals" features the band dressed as construction workers in a warehouse, creating a girlish creature with crystal eyes out of her shame.
  • "Empire" is filmed in black and white and features a young woman who has a very close relationship with another woman. The two of them hang out and it is implied that the young woman looks up to the other woman as a mentor figure in life. Time passes and it is revealed that it was just flashbacks as the young woman - now old - reflects on her life and wonders if she has really changed.
  • "Wolves Without Teeth" features a man and a woman performing cha-cha dancing for judges in a gym.

Charts

Certifications
Certifications for Beneath the Skin
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[35] Gold 40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Silver 60,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Beneath The Skin". Rolling Stone. 22 May 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  2. Coleman, Miriam (16 March 2015). "Of Monsters and Men Drop Lush New Single, Announce New Album". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  3. "Of Monsters And Men - Beneath The Skin - Leif Podhajský". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  4. "Reviews for Beneath the Skin". Metacritic. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  5. Partridge, Kenneth (15 June 2015). "Of Monsters and Men Sink Their Teeth Into 'Beneath the Skin': Album Review". Billboard. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  6. Young, Killian. "Of Monsters and Men - Beneath the Skin". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  7. Vain, Madison (8 June 2015). "Beneath the Skin by Of Monsters and Men". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  8. "Review: Of Monsters and Men - Beneath the Skin". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  9. Caulfield, Keith (17 June 2015). "Muse Earns Its First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". billboard.com. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  10. "Official Charts Analysis: Muse's Drones fly to No.1 on sales of 72,863 - Music Week: Home Stream". mediaor.com. Music Week. 15 June 2015. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  11. Johnes, Alan (22 June 2015). "Official Charts Analysis: Muse's Drones hover at No.1 for second week - Music Week: Home Stream". mediaor.com. Archived from the original on 22 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  12. "BMI - Repertoire Search". Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  13. "Beneath the Skin". iTunes. Iceland. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  14. "Beneath the Skin". iTunes. United States. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  15. "Beneath the Skin (Deluxe)". iTunes. United States. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  16. "Australiancharts.com – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  17. "Austriancharts.at – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  18. "Ultratop.be – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  19. "Ultratop.be – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  20. "Of Monsters and Men Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  21. "Dutchcharts.nl – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  22. "Lescharts.com – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  23. "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  24. "Italiancharts.com – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  25. "Charts.nz – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  26. "Norwegiancharts.com – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  27. "Spanishcharts.com – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  28. "Swisscharts.com – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  29. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  30. "Of Monsters and Men Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  31. "Of Monsters and Men Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  32. "Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  33. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  34. "Tónlistinn – Plötur – 2016" (in Icelandic). Plötutíóindi. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  35. "Canadian album certifications – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". Music Canada. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  36. "British album certifications – Of Monsters and Men – Beneath the Skin". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
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