If a band has its previous records released by labels like Filled With Hate or On The Attack you can guess with high confidence what type of sound they’re up to. King Of Clubz is take-no-shit, raw and heavy hadcore that brings to mind the good old days of early Biohazard and Hatebreed (before both became joke of a band). I got their debut MCD called The Day You Die and even though I haven’t listened to it for a while, I remember it was solid. Raw and forceful, but honest. This shit is from 2003, go figure. Three years later and the band releases split with Whatever It Takes which to me is the highlight. Everything fits just right, from the artwork to the music. WIT has some crazy titled tracks on this one, like Teddybear Bastard or Champagne Whores. Work of genius. KOC has songs with titles like Betrayed, Suffering Begins or Inked In Blood, scary shit. On top of that, there’s a Madball cover. Don’t ask me about the albums that followed cause I lost touch until King Of Clubz / Providence split which was a banger. But from what I heard The End and Outlast were decent so I might catch up with this stuff.
To my surprise the band is still active and they will be releasing “Vile Times” via Knives Out Records (France). You can trust this label to make this stuff worth any price as they did a marvelous job with Grimlock and Crawlspace re-releases. Listening to the new tracks made me feel like I woke up in late-90’/early-00’ again. Band’s aggression and directness are on display here in 10 tight tracks encompassing love and hate, brotherhood and revenge, integrity and determination. KOC still don’t play with finesse and get on with this shit like they’re young again. Most of the tracks go from mid-tempo to faster, but not too fast tempos carried by tight musicianship and rough, forceful vocals. Pretty decent comeback.
More info here.
