Reiði

Most of the record was inspired by one of Mark Holley's trips to Iceland. The lead singer explained: "My mental health was so bad the first time I went to Iceland, but I was starting to see progress every time I went. It was a big step for me to go to a place that is barren, with no-one there and insane weather conditions, and do it all by myself. It felt like there was a mutual relationship between me and that place because I overcame a lot out there. I wrote plenty of music when I went to Iceland the second time, and our new record reflects that."[2]

The band recorded Reiði at VADA studios in Warwickshire, England, with producer Adrian Bushby.[3]

The album revolves around the opposing concepts of light and dark: "reiði" is the Icelandic word for "rage", and it's pronounced "ray-dee"; instead, "sæla" means "happiness".[4]

Ideally, Reiði is divided in two parts, with a light and ethereal first half, and the second part venturing into darker territories.[5]

The lyrics shift from Holley's constant fight with anxiety and health issues, as he reveals: "The thirst for adventure is an overall theme of the album, but more than that, it’s an obvious journey from start to finish about myself. I sing a lot about rage on this album, and the final words sung on the record are ‘now I understand rage’. That’s what’s pulling it all together – you’re going through this journey of working things out with the writer."[2]

The band experiments with different melodies and riffs, making Reiði a sonically ambitious record that embraces pop and shoegaze influences.[6]

Talking about "Sæla", Holley revealed: "It is about a desire to leave a place that was starting to feel stagnant, I think it’s Foxxes at our poppiest but it’s still got all the undertones of darkness stacked amongst it. I remember watching the film ‘Hunt For The Wilderpeople’ before we headed out to Europe for a show and fell in love with that phrase (and the film) and jotted some lyrics down on the trip that were inspired by it."[7] "Float On" was written by Holley in memory of his cousin who drowned in a river.[8]

On 6 December 2017, Black Foxxes released a first single, "Sæla", and a corresponding video.[9]

On 5 February 2018, they released the single "Manic In Me", along with a music video shot in Iceland.[10][11]

On 5 March 2018, they revealed a third single, "JOY", and a video directed by Josh Street and Sam Brown; Holley's dog Tarka appears in it.[12][13]

From 16 March to 22 March, the band did a promotional run in various HMV stores across the UK to perform a short acoustic set, meet fans and sign copies of the new record.[14]

On 21 September 2018, they released an acoustic version of "Oh, It Had To Be You".[15]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	86/100[16]
Review scores
Source	Rating
All Things Loud	10/10[17]
Dead Press!	[18]
Drowned In Sound	10/10[19]
Louder Sound	[20]

Reiði has been critically acclaimed and defined as "exceptional and thought provoking",[21] "nothing short of sublime",[22] containing "more shiver-inducing, goosebump-raising thrills than most bands manage in an entire career".[23]

In particular, critics appreciated how Black Foxxes distanced themselves from the raw and dark atmospheres of I'm Not Well, leaving the door open for light and a sense of hope, evoking tenderness and beginning to heal.[24]

The sound of Reiði has been compared to bands like Alice In Chains, The Xcerts and Manchester Orchestra.[25]

• Mark Holley - vocals, guitar
• Tristan Jane - bass guitar
• Anthony (Ant) Thornton - drums