REVIEW: Kings Destroy - "None More" (EP)

By: Ben Fitts

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 13/01/2017

Label: War Crime Recordings

 A varied listen, “None More” is the work of an experienced band weaving together disparate soundscapes into a cohesive, effective unit. The EP nods to old school heavy metal, incorporates slithering doom metal, plays with softer sounds, and keeps the listener engaged from the first twenty-four second long note until the thirty seconds of feedback that end “None More”.

 

“None More” CS//DD track listing:

I. Rise of the Betrayer

II. The Blood Waters

III. The Battle

IV. The Requiem

V. The Awakening

VI. Rise of the Betrayer (Reprise)

 

The Review:

The first note of the EP “None More”, by New York City’s doom quintet Kings Destroy, rings out for a full twenty-four seconds, until the whine of feedback swells and envelops the original pitch. From there, notes are added sparsely. In opening track “Rise of the Betrayer”, soft spoken vocals float over skeletal riffs struggling over the hum of amplifiers until over two and a half minutes into the EP. Then, Kings Destroy pull the curtain off their creation.

Twin guitars harmonize, the vocals roughen, a churning groove begins boiling underneath, and the listener becomes thrust into a whole new musical world. Steve Murphy’s operatic vocals soar through a din of galloping riffs and spirited guitar harmonies. However, “None More” is not the kind of EP content with riding one wave of feeling until the end. The tempos soon wind down once again as Kings Destroy experiment with several new textures and feels over the remaining eight minutes of “None More”. Gloomy melodicism, spacious strumming and even a slow burning power ballad work their way into this EP.

Given the diversity found within these fifteen minutes of music, it is difficult to point to key elements or to define the essence of “None More”. However, there are consistencies to be found between the six tracks tracks. While the EP flits between different feelings, attitudes and musical elements, it never abandons its strong melodic focus and every track displays Kings Destroy ability to construct dramatic changes in dynamics in a natural way. A varied listen, “None More” is the work of an experienced band weaving together disparate soundscapes into a cohesive, effective unit. The EP nods to old school heavy metal, incorporates slithering doom metal, plays with softer sounds, and keeps the listener engaged from the first twenty-four second long note until the thirty seconds of feedback that end “None More”.

“None More” has less of the ripping, doomed rock and roll riffing that defined Kings Destroy previous full-lengths, this EP is about something else. “None More” unfurls quickly and its strength lie both within the individuality of each track and its contrast to the music that preceded it. While “None More” has its headbanging moments and spots that are very reminiscent of Kings Destroy previous efforts, in the end, it is a step into something new for Kings Destroy. 

“None More” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Various Artists - "Meantime" (Redux)

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 19/08/2016
Label: Magnetic Eye Records

Meantime (Redux)” is a face-melting reinterpretation of what many consider Helmet’s finest hour, it   pulls off the tricky balance of paying respectful tribute to a classic album while being an excellent listen in its own right. Hopefully it will introduce long-term Helmet fans to some exciting new bands and make any other people with their ears stuck in the underground realise that Helmet were great all along.

“Meantime (Redux)” DD//LP track listing:

01 – I Am Become Death – “In The Meantime”
02 – Earthship – “Ironhead”
03 – Ironweed – “Give It”
04 – Sunflo’er – “Unsung”
05 – KEN mode – “Turned Out”
06 – Kings Destroy – “He Feels Bad”
07 – Meek Is Murder – “Better”
08 – Ironweed – “You Borrowed”
09 – The Glorious Rebellion – “FBLA II”
10 – Fuck The Facts – “Role Model”

Bonus tracks:

11 – Fashion Week – “I Know”
12 – Rosetta – “Like I Care”
13 – Livver – “Sinatra”
14 – Heads. – “Blacktop”
15 – BlackWolfGoat – “Bad Mood”
16 – Brief Lives – “Milquetoast”

The Review:

The influence of Helmet seems particularly strong in the current heavy underground. Their brand of noise rock-indebted alt metal can be detected in a number of 2016’s finest releases, the relentless adrenaline rush of Wrong’s self-titled LP being a good example. It feels like the time is right for Magnetic Eye Records to unleash “Meantime (Redux)” into the world. A track-for-track recreation of Helmet’s 1992 major label debut “Meantime” by ten contemporary amp abusers, it demonstrates that the impact of the bands 90’s output is still felt almost 25 years into the future.

I’ve got to come clean and confess I am not the world’s biggest Helmet fan. They were always a band I meant to check out but from the mid-90s to the mid 2000’s I knew them only as the band with the guy who does a killer guest solo on Therapy?’s “Troublegum”. I finally heard them in 2005 when I caught a tepid set at Download festival. This put me off listening further until now. “Meantime (Redux)” is a face-melting reinterpretation of what many consider Helmet’s finest hour which has given me the opportunity to go back and give the band the respect they deserve.

All the bands here deliver the goods and sound like they are having a blast getting to grips with such classic riffs. I Am Become Death kick things off with a filthy and feral run-through of “In The Meantime”. It’s a faithful reproduction of the original with a throat-shredding vocal performance and distortion levels well into the red. Earthship and Sunflo’er also stick fairly close to the script and deliver excellent versions of “Ironhead” and “Unsung” respectively. Ironweed, Kings Destroy and The Glorious Rebellion also don’t deviate too far from the source material but bring the latent stoner rock undertones in “Give It”, “He Feels Bad” and “FBLA II” to the surface.

The highlights of “Meantime (Redux)” come when the original tracks are bent almost out of recognition. Meek Is Murder transform “Better” into a searing blastbeat-riddled beast of a track in the vein of Converge while Fuck The Facts achieve similarly brutal results by recreating “Role Model” as two minutes of fearsome grind. Although not as shockingly different as these two belters, KEN mode manage to inject enough of their trademark sound into “Turned Out” to give it an angular Botch-style makeover.

Not content with a full recreation of “Meantime”, “Meantime (Redux)” also features six bonus tracks where more bands tackle songs from the Helmet back catalogue. The cream of these extras come from Fashion Week and Heads. Fashion Week inject some burly riffage into “I Know” from “Betty” but also bring a welcome dose of synth-assisted melody. Heads’ classic Shellac/Jesus Lizard style rumble is a great contrast to the metallic sound of the majority of bands on “Meantime (Redux)”. They stretch “Blacktop” from “Strap It On” into six minutes of taut, dark menace.

“Meantime (Redux)” pulls off the tricky balance of paying respectful tribute to a classic album while being an excellent listen in its own right. Hopefully it will introduce long-term Helmet fans to some exciting new bands and make any other people with their ears stuck in the underground realise that Helmet were great all along.

“Meantime (Redux)” is available here

Kings Destroy - 'Kings Destroy' (Album Review)

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Released: 05/05/2015

Label: War Crime Recordings

‘Kings Destroy’ CD//DD//LP track Listing

1). Smokey Robinson

2). Mr O

3). W2

4). Mythomania

5). Embers

6). Green Diamonds

7). Time for War

Kings Destroy is:

Carl Porcaro | Guitar
Chris Skowronski | Guitar
Steve Murphy | Vocals
Rob Sefcik | Drums
Aaron Bumpus | Bass

Review:

Since their inaugural 2010 release, Kings Destroy have set out to show what they are made of, evident with their 2013 release ‘A Time of Hunting’ which went down a treat amongst fans and critics alike.  With their unique ability to blend an eclectic mix of Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age and Black Sabbath into an immense wall of sound, they had a monolithic task ahead of them for their 2015 self-titled offering.  Taking the next logical step up, KD produce this 7 song album with an earthy, organic twist alongside stellar production and phenomenal artistry.

‘Smokey Robinson’ is the starting point, opening with a riff so sharp; it carves its way out of the speakers with ease surrounded by Murphy’s clean, piercing vocals matching the musicality with ease. To be blunt, yes it is the work of men who have knelt at the shrine of Black Sabbath on a regular basis but I fail to see this as a bad thing. The grooves and hooks they thrash around are doom laden and majestic; the likes of which don’t come around too often.

‘Mr O’ is next, bringing an unapologetic, emphatic, stoner rock song; ladled out with a huge serving of unashamed honesty.  It finds a friend later in the album with ‘Green Diamonds’ but has no need to, as it stands alone; a beast of a song replete with more frenetic movement and blistering solo work than one could ask for. ‘W2’ is immense, grinding, whining and battering the doors down upon arrival, it pummels the senses revelling in the destruction and chaos it brings. The vocals are flat out haunting imbibed with melodiousness; the tonality- superb. On the back of a gargantuan riff, that deserves its own place in history, it will hammer its way unapologetically into your conscience in twisted and unexpected ways making itself at home in your psyche urging you to press the replay button.

I begin to struggle as I realise there is not one song I don’t like, they all have their own place from ‘Mythomania’ winding down the pace before reaching a massive crescendo of sound and aural pummelling before dropping back down.  It could almost be a ballad and certainly a master class in song writing. ‘Embers’, is just crushing and also the longest track on the album, it is followed by the shortest ‘Green Diamonds’ upbeat in comparison with an early 70’s vibe that just won’t quit.  Again, it crushes and bruises whilst sedating you gently with the audible talent.  These pair of tracks bounce off each other so very well here, a nod to the superb arrangement, is also worth mentioning too. 

‘Time for War’ is the finale here, and what a finale it is.  It builds eerily; imagery of a swirling fog inducing haze abounds, alongside the heavy, simplistic bass lines and doom laden drumming.  It is here, Murphy adopts a disconnected tone to his voice, indeed the track displays a different approach from the band, but make no mistake it is a stoner driven, sludge filled epic.

As previously indicated, whether by accident or design this is less of an album, more of a journey, rewarding with the odd challenge thrown in, but bound together with highest quality production for good measure.  Encircling so many genres, Kings Destroy could have easily tripped up, yet they haven’t, embracing the future of doom in its complexities, quasi prog leanings, KD have performed well here. Refusing to fit into one style; even keeping the length of their album to just 34 minutes, shielding themselves from the stoner rock genre in its entirety. It is a heavy record, of that you should have no doubt, but it is not over-long and contains enough light, shade and subtlety to ensure they make themselves heard but not pigeonholed.

Three albums in, their song writing is diverse yet confident, flowing from fierce hooks to oppressive atmospherics fluidly and with ease.  With such quality and calibre shining through as well as the passion and execution, they are sure to cut their own individual path through the smoked out haze.

Words by: Kat Hilton

‘Kings Destroy’ is available here

For more information:

Listen: https://kingsdestroy.bandcamp.com/ | Like: http://www.facebook.com/KingsDestroy | Official: http://www.kingsdestroy.com/

The Sludgelord News: KINGS DESTROY: Brooklyn Stoner Rock/Doom Unit To Release New Full-Length Via War Crime Recordings; Preorders Available

Brooklyn stoner /doom crew KINGS DESTROY, a firm favourite at Sludgelord acres, are set to unveil their new record, with a release date set for May 5th. Simply titled ‘King Destroy’, this self titled record is the follow-up to last years ‘A Time Of Hunting’ full length.  Once again the band has teamed up with famed producer, Sanford Parker at Studio G in Brooklyn, to record and mix it, with the master being handled by Colin Jordan at The Boiler Room in Chicago. 

The new release will be their third album in four years, with the band being championed by Yob guitarist/vocalist Mike Scheidt, he exclaims "It's a great album. Heavy, yes. Doom? Yes, But what is best about KINGS DESTROY is that they write good songs. Helmet meets early Queens Of The Stone Age meets Kyuss/Unida, roughly. [Steve] Murphy's vocals are strong and really steps up what is already killer.” Now that’s high praise indeed. 

You can check out our most recent review of their work here. The track listing for ‘Kings Destroy’ can found below and with killer artwork to match, this album is set to be their best yet.  Check out this band if you haven’t already, with more updates to follow over the forthcoming weeks. 

‘Kings Destroy’ Track Listing:

1. Smokey Robinson

2. Mr. O

3. W2

4. Mythomania

5. Embers

6. Green Diamonds

7. Time for War

Kings Destroy will be released on LP, CD and digitally on May 5th, 2015 via War Crime Recordings. CD preorders are currently available HERE. For vinyl preorders go HERE. 

Source:  Earsplit PR

Posted by: Aaron Pickford

For more information:

http://www.facebook.com/KingsDestroy 

http://www.kingsdestroy.com 

http://www.facebook.com/WarCrimeRecordings