If you adore Savages, you might adore this

The sophomore album from London quartet Savages is a dark, powerful, estrogen-infused punk-rock experience. Opener “The Answer” sets the tone — “If you don’t love me, don’t love anybody.” As Jehnny Beth’s ghostly vocals trample over distorted goodness, you’re thinking, That’s so Savages.

The first single, “Adore,” admits a common Savages sound of simplistic menacing bass guitar surrounded by casual atmospheric guitar landscapes. The song slowly builds, but never releases, making for a euphoric dream that abruptly awakens right at the climax.

Compared to 2013’s Silence Yourself, Adore Life feels a bit tame, but its delightfully more haunting. “I Need Something New” incorporates a spaciousness between guitars, allowing crashing cymbals and thudding bass to fill the gap, leaving Beth’s forceful vocals to shine in the darkness.

The collection seems to have a theme of emptiness. Lyrically, there is a loss of hope in humanity and life, pairing well to the music that can be both frustrating and morbid, as if it were a score for social Armageddon. “Slowing Down the World” is beautifully melancholic with a sludgy dance beat, carrying that same emptiness, as if the world were really slowing down.

Adore Life tends to grow old, though, as the songs sound similar and start to blend together. The record feels hollow, lacking that raw, head-throbbing pulse that erupted from Silence Yourself.

• Album: Adore Life
• Artist: Savages
• Label: Matador
• Songs: (1) The Answer (2) Evil (3) Sad Person (4) Adore (5) I Need Something New (6) Slowing Down the World (7) When In Love (8) Surrender (9) T.I.W.Y.G. (10) Mechanics