Launched By way of: Rockshots Data
Unlock Date: November 22nd, 2024
Style: Heavy/Energy Steel
Hyperlinks: https://kingcrownmgtm.wixsite.
Line Up
Joe Amore – Vocals
Ced Legger – Guitars
Bob Saliba – Guitars
Seb Chabot – Bass
David Amore – Drums
Tracklist
1. The Magic Stone
2. Nova Atlantis
3 Actual or Fable
4. Father or mother Angels
5. Letter to Myself
6. Judgement Day
7. A Lengthy Strategy to Valhalla
8. Souls of Vacationers
9. Utopia City
10. When Stars Are Aligned
11. Never-ending Adventure
For a very long time, one in every of my favourite French energy steel bands has been Nightmare, and whilst I’ve nonetheless very much loved their fresh output, one in every of my favourite sides in their track was once former vocalist Joe Amore, who left the band following their 2014 unencumber, Aftermath. It took some time for me to note, however Amore in the end ended up forming a brand new band in 2018, named Kingcrown, together with his brother David Amore, who was once Nightmare’s drummer the entire time Joe was once their vocalist. They launched a forged debut in 2019, titled A Easiest International, adopted by way of a robust sophomore document in 2022, titled Wake Up Name, which was once their first album I heard and whilst I wasn’t blown away, I did revel in it an excellent deal. The band is now set to unencumber their 3rd album, Nova Atlantis, and after being attentive to it for a couple of weeks, I will be able to safely say it’s their highest paintings so far!
Whilst Amore’s former band has gotten an increasing number of darker and extra excessive with their fresh paintings, Kingcrown sticks to extra of a vintage heavy/energy steel sound, with a large emphasis on heavy guitar paintings and killer choruses, together with some superb vocal melodies. There are some gentle keyboards on a couple of tracks, and so they do every so often take lead, however extra ceaselessly than now not it is a very guitar pushed album, with twin guitarists Ced Legger and Bob Saliba being the celebs of the display, from an instrumental viewpoint. I discovered the primary two albums to be just a little laidback from time to time, with a quite even combine between rapid energy steel and extra sluggish paced, softeer melodic steel tracks, with every album having a couple of ballads. This album does nonetheless have a just right stability between genres, and in reality, I’d say it’s almost certainly their maximum numerous and dynamic album so far, with an outstanding quantity of selection between tracks, however I’d additionally say it’s heavier, quicker and extra full of life as a complete, in comparison to the former albums. Guitar paintings is ceaselessly heavy and has a vintage really feel to it, and it will possibly additionally get thrashy from time to time, in addition to very melodic, with heaps of Maiden taste melodic guitar leads and a few superb melodic, very vintage sounding solos. David Amore does an excellent process as all the time, clearly at his highest when going complete velocity, but additionally doing an excellent process of offering some great grooves at the slower and extra mid-paced tracks.
Manufacturing is superb around the board, with DGM’s Simone Mularoni answerable for the combination, and he does an out of this world process of creating the whole lot sound easiest, as same old. Lyrically, the album is in large part targeted round myths and legends, and whilst I didn’t in finding them in particular memorable on any tracks, in addition they don’t get in the way in which and are in most cases forged. Songwriting is a huge step up from earlier albums, as I discovered the ones to be a tad unven, with some superb songs in addition to the occasional weaker observe, after which some forged however now not overly spectacular tracks, whilst Nova Atlantis is superb the entire manner thru, with a couple of tracks particularly protruding as immediate favorites. The primary part particularly strikes alongside at a brisk tempo, with one spotlight after some other, and there’s a large amount of selection within the tracks, so it’s right away simple to inform them aside. Issues do get started mixing in combination somewhat within the again part, however the songs are all superb, and whilst I’d say the entrance part is just a little more potent general, there aren’t any tracks I’d ever believe slicing. Clearly, one of the vital interesting sides of Kingcrown for me is Joe Amore’s vocals, and he’s in best shape as all the time, together with his falsetto as intense and strong as ever, and his supply remains to be as wild and animated as Nightmare lovers would commit it to memory being on his later albums. He’s at his highest when making a song at complete energy, however nonetheless does a just right process on softer tracks, and he does an out of this world process of bringing out the melodies on some superb choruses during the album.
The album kicks off in wonderful shape with “The Magic Stone”, one of the crucial speedier tracks. It begins off with melodic guitar paintings, ahead of the tempo drops just a little and heavier guitars kick in right through the hole verse, the place Amore briefly is going to paintings together with his superb vocals. The refrain speeds issues up and has some unbelievable vocal melodies, and is one in every of my favorites at the album, as is the guitar solo, which has an excessively vintage energy steel really feel to it. Total, it’s an out of this world opener, and one in every of my favorites at the album. Subsequent is the name observe, which alternates properly between cushy, melodic sections and speedier sections with some epic Maiden taste guitar paintings. The verses are sluggish paced and in large part relaxing, except a type of sound impact coming from the guitars, and I in finding that just a little distracting, however the remainder of the observe is fantastic. My favourite a part of the observe is the refrain, which is rapid, explosive and has some very animated vocals from Amore, main into some superior melodic guitar leads on the finish. The guitar solo is sweet, and the overall run during the refrain is epic, with some superior chanting vocals added in against the top.
The highlights stay coming with “Actual or Fable”, which has just a little of a thrashy sound to it. The verses take me back to the fact of a mixture between vintage Metallica and Megadeth, transferring at a quite fast tempo with some very heavy, intense riffs and animated vocals with a slight heavy steel edge to them. The observe will get extra melodic because it strikes on, with the refrain being strangely upbeat and cheerful in its sound, in comparison to the darker sounding verses, and it provides in some gentle keys, that are used successfully. The observe alternates fluidly between heavy and melodic sections, making for a pleasant distinction. Probably the most extra vintage energy steel sounding tracks is “Father or mother Angels”, which sounds just a little thrashy right through its opening, however the verses have a extra melodic sound, whilst nonetheless being heavy, after which the refrain could be very melodic and upbeat, reminding me numerous vintage Helloween and Gamma Ray, with epic hovering vocal melodies. The observe as a complete is most commonly melodic and has that vintage energy steel really feel to it, however with just a little of an additional edge added from the guitar paintings, which is in point of fact cool. There’s a very good bridge, which is heavy and just a little extra mid-paced, with intense vocals from Amore, and it leads right into a fast moving, very melodic guitar solo. Total, that is almost certainly my favourite observe at the album.
One slight curveball arrives within the type of “Letter to Myself”, a extra keyboard pushed observe which has just a little of that Beast in Black taste disco steel sound to it, regardless that the guitar paintings remains to be quite heavy during, to assist in giving it an additional edge. The observe strikes at extra of a average pace during, and has a bouncy really feel to it, obviously going for extra of a amusing and catchy sound. The refrain particularly is superb, as Amore’s voice fits this taste completely and the melodies are superb. There’s a pleasant, ballad-like phase on the finish, which closes the observe out neatly. Every other cushy phase is used originally of “Judgement Day”, with some cushy, very emotional sounding guitar paintings accompanied by way of gentle vocals, ahead of heavier guitars kick in and the drums accelerate, transferring at a quick tempo main into the hole verse. The observe alternates between rapid, sluggish and mid-tempo passages rather just a little, with the verses being extra upbeat, whilst the refrain is slower and extra atmospheric, with a large emphasis on backing vocals. Talking of vocals, the second one verse has a distinct voice, and I’m now not certain who it’s, but it surely certain doesn’t sound like Amore, because it’s a lot softer and not more intense. Both manner, the vocals are nice during, and the tune is superb. As soon as once more, the observe closes out on a cushy notice, which leads into the only complete ballad at the album, “A Lengthy Strategy to Valhalla”. Whilst I wasn’t overly inspired by way of any of the band’s earlier ballads, this observe is rather great, led by way of some very cushy guitar paintings and extra subdued vocals from Amore. The verses have a laid again, atmospheric really feel to them, and the observe builds slowly, with the primary run during the refrain being calm, however because the observe progresses extra heavy guitar paintings is added in and Amore’s vocals develop into extra animated, with later runs during the refrain being rather epic. There’s additionally an out of this world guitar solo against the top.
Enthusiasts of vintage energy steel are certain to like “Souls of Vacationers”, which as soon as once more sounds similar to vintage Helloween and Gamma Ray, particularly the latter, I’d say. Verses are speedy, full of life and feature a slight edge to the guitars, whilst the refrain could be very melodic and tremendous catchy, with unbelievable vocal melodies. It’s an excessively rapid, full of life observe general, and one in every of my favorites at the album. The guitar solo particularly has an excessively nostalgic sound to it, and is unbelievable. Subsequent is “Utopia City”, a somewhat extra subdued observe, transferring at a quite average pace during. It has some great melodic lead guitar paintings right through the intro, whilst the verses are most commonly led by way of bass, drums and vocals, giving the observe a pleasant groove. The refrain provides in additional melodic guitar paintings, and is rather catchy, if just a little gentle in comparison to maximum tracks at the album. The spotlight of the observe is the bridge, the place Amore is going all out with some intense vocals, whilst the keys develop into just a little extra full of life, and it leads right into a really nice guitar solo.
The closing in point of fact rapid observe at the album is “When the Stars Are Aligned”, which has extra of a uncooked sound to it, fairly velocity steel influenced. It strikes at a speedy tempo, with heavy riffs and intense drums, and the verses are very fiery and intense. The refrain is the spotlight, beginning off sluggish and melodic, ahead of rushing up in a large manner and going all out for one of the crucial speediest sections on all of the album, with some epic vocals. The observe alternates properly between the extra frantic portions and the calmer portions, and it’s but some other private favourite. Ultimate out the album is “Never-ending Adventure”, some other quite restrained observe, led by way of some great melodic guitar leads. It begins off quite heavy, ahead of settling down for a sluggish, atmospheric opening verse, with moody vocals and lyrics, slowly construction against a melodic, somewhat upbeat refrain, which by no means absolutely accelerates, however strikes at a quite average pace. It’s a observe which alternates seamlessly between cushy and heavier sections during, with the finishing particularly being very cushy and finishing the album rather properly.
I loved the former two Kingcrown albums, with out being absolutely inspired, however with Nova Atlantis the band has stepped up their recreation significantly, and delivered an out of this world album from begin to end. It has a pleasant mixture of rapid subject matter, with a pleasant quantity of heaviness, in addition to some slower tracks, some extra mid-paced tracks and the occasional softer sections. Enthusiasts of the band’s earlier works are certain to like this, whilst lovers of vintage energy steel and heavy steel must additionally in finding so much to like, with the vocals, choruses and guitar paintings all being superb, and the songwriting is attractive during. It’s a very good album general, and I’m hoping the band can construct on it with long run releases.
Rankings: 9/10
Written by way of: Travis Inexperienced
My International Thoughts – Workforce Creator
Travis Inexperienced is a Canadian primarily based author for My International Thoughts, with a selected pastime for energy steel, in addition to an hobby steel in all its bureaucracy.
About Creator
