King Kraken – March of the Gods
King Kraken – March of the Gods
Self-Released
Release date: 18/04/2025
Review by Alun Jones
9.75/10
Ahoy there, shipmates! Look lively with that cargo, we’re ready to set sail on these treacherous seas. Be wary, for there are many tales in these waters of fearsome beasties, rising from the depths to swipe a man from the deck and carry him to a watery grave. Here are ten such omens from the murky waves, tales of King Kraken!
Sorry folks, I got a little carried away there. We’re taking a considered view of the latest album from the mighty band known as King Kraken, though this is pretty exciting news. Their last album, MCLXXX, was a bona fide banger, and I’ve been looking forward to hooking this new release for quite a while.
From the opening track, it anchors away as the boys unleash ten tracks of compelling Rock/Metal that’s loaded with powerful riffs and greater depth than before. ‘Scream’ blazes out of the speakers and it’s obvious right away that the Kraken boys have been focussed on creating adrenaline spiking music, wasting not a second of listening time. ‘El Giganto’ is another sonic smasher, big sing-along choruses and relentless, skyscraper crushing enegy.
The guitars of Pete Rose and Adam Healey are constantly ingenious, throwing out titanic riffs and lethal leads like they’ve discovered a sunken treasure chest of hidden invention. See ‘Berzerker’ as a prime example. Title track ‘March of the Gods’ deals out more mayhem, this time with a galloping, martial feel. Get in step and march along, or be bowled out of the way!
The track ‘Hero’ adds different textures to the Kraken sound, with bluesy leads embellishing a plaintive atmosphere. Mark Donoghue’s astounding vocals shine thoughout this album, but never more so than here. It ain’t exactly a ballad – it’s too damn heavy – but ‘Hero’ is an excellent emotional counterpoint.
After that, ‘Vigilante’ steers us into more familiar, Clutch-like waters: it’s a proper groove rocker with a crunchy middle section. ‘Preacher’ resonates on a grinding, Alice in Chains style rhythm, while ‘Magnum Opus’ ups the pace with a full-on, diesel-powered Mad Max urgency. Both tracks demonstrate the feel and sheer talent of the rhythm section, Karl Meyer on bass and Richard Lee Mears on drums.
‘Chainsaw Saviour’ is another stand out track, with a menacing, pummelling riff. No prizes for guessing who inspired that lyric! The final song, ‘Under the Sun’, has yet another pulverising pace, tempered with mellower verses that remind me of the epic song writing of classic Soundgarden.
So is it any good, then?! Well yeah – “March of the Gods” promised a huge amount and it delivers it in spades. King Kraken have obviously worked hard here, striving to push their musicianship and their song writing to a higher level than ever before. It’s a gripping listen, with new ideas and dynamics aplenty. We’re only a third of the way through the year, and we could have a contender for Best Album of 2025.
But don’t just heed this old seadog’s tall tales, go and catch this monster yourself.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Scream
02. El Giganto
03. Berzerker
04. March of the Gods
05. Hero
06. Vigilante
07. Preacher
08. Magnum Opus
09. Chainsaw Saviour
LINKS:
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