Enter Shikari is a four-piece experimental post-hardcore band from St Albans, Hertfordshire, England formed in 2003. The band’s music incorporates various rock and metal sub-genres with elements of various electronic genres such as electronica, dubstep, trance, and drum and bass, making the band particularly difficult to assign to one genre. The incorporation of electronic genres has become more prominent in their music throughout the band’s history. Lyrically, their music tackles political, social and scientific issues.
The band is named after a boat belonging to Roughton “Rou” Reynolds’ uncle, and a character in a play which he wrote before forming the band, both of which are named Shikari. Despite being offered several major label record deals, their debut album Take To The Skies was released on their own label - ambush reality - in March 2007, reaching the dizzy heights of #4 in the UK’s official Album Charts and going on to sell over 100,000 copies in the UK (the album was released in Europe through PIAS, in North America on Ambush Reality / Tiny Evil, and in Japan on Hostess).
In March 2008, after spending 12 months on the road across the globe, Enter Shikari set up camp in their rehearsal room (a large shed in Chris Batten’s back garden which they christened “The ‘Low”) to begin writing tracks for their second album such as Antwerpen which was released as a free digital-download from the band’s website.
In July they played to their largest live audience at the UK date of Linkin Park’s ‘Project Revolution’ travelling festival alongside JayZ, Pendulum and N*E*R*D, as well as playing several shows with Linkin Park in mainland Europe.
