Take to the Skies

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Take to the Skies is the debut studio album by the English rock band Enter Shikari. It was released on March 19, 2007 and recorded in 2006–07 at The Outhouse in Reading, England. The album blends post-hardcore, metalcore, electronicore and trance and runs for 52 minutes and 43 seconds. It was released on their own Ambush Reality label and produced by Enter Shikari themselves.

In its first week in the UK, the album sold about 28,000 copies and reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart. Worldwide, it sold around 200,000 copies, and it later earned Gold status in the UK (over 100,000 copies sold). The singles from the album include “Sorry You're Not a Winner” / “OK Time for Plan B” (released October 29, 2006), “Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour” (February 18, 2007), and “Jonny Sniper” (June 18, 2007).

Enter Shikari formed after the end of Hybryd, with Rou Reynolds on vocals, Rory Clewlow on guitar, Chris Batten on bass, and Rob Rolfe on drums. They self-released three EPs in 2003–2004 and built a fan base through live shows and MySpace. They also released a number of demos, such as “Labyrinth” and “OK, Time for Plan B,” which helped shape the album.

Several tracks on the album are untitled on the listing, though later releases give them names. Track 1 is commonly listed as “Stand Your Ground; This Is Ancient Land,” and other untitled tracks are often labeled “Interlude” or “Reprise One/Two” depending on the version. The song “Sorry, You’re Not a Winner” later appeared on the NHL 08 soundtrack.

In Europe the album arrived in 2007, and North American release followed later through Tiny Evil Records on October 30, available as CD, CD+DVD, and vinyl editions. A 2013 repress of the vinyl in green and beige was limited to 500 copies with a signed art print. The album’s release marked a high point for a new act building success outside the traditional label system.