"Lifeline" is the debut full-length from Connecticut's Crowns of Kings (on Reaper Records), and continues in a similar vein as the material from their split with Price of Pain (the material from which appears here in re-recorded form). Expect 14 tracks of short, straight to the point metallic hardcore in just 26 minutes, with a hint more diversity and a stronger recording than the band's prior work. Here and there they'll toss in a smidge of melody or subtly more metal-based riffing (check the ripping solos in "Another Bump"), but for the most part everything's driven by fast-paced power chords and tactfully chunky breakdowns with gruffly shouted vocals. The usual, sure, but if ain't broke, don't fix it. This style of hardcore doesn't need all kinds of extravagant flourishes to get the job done (quite the opposite, in fact), and these songs keep things focused and in your face with a good sense of energy, so there's not really any time to get bored. That's all there is to it, really. Good stuff.
Crowns of Kings "Starting Over"
Crowns of Kings "C.T.H.C."
Get It
Reaper Records (CD)
RevHQ (CD)
Very Distribution (CD)
iTunes (mp3)
Comments
hi there, just want to ask you to check a band called bad reaction (especially the symtoms of youth album), they’re from the us, i’m not related to them in any way (i’m from paraguay), i just would like to see them here on this website, they are one of the best hardcore bands i ever listened to, but totally unknown, i hope i didn’t bother with this message, i always read your blog (since it was a web site) and i came to know very good bands through it. Keep writting it.Thanks.
7.24.2008 | By nebu de ota
I’ve been digging more HC than usual lately, but this one just didn’t do it. Granted I was never a huge Death Threat fan, but this stuff just seems like retreads of that , right down to the not-that-awesome lyrics about hardcore music itself.
7.25.2008 | By Johnny
Yo Andrew, you can reach the Reaper store right here: http://www.reaper-records.com/store/. They changed their address.
PS > Bad Reaction is cool. They have a record out on Reflections.
8.4.2008 | By Pim