Russ Hockenbury
10/29/06, 05:27 AM
Kingdom – Kingdom EP
Label: Goodbye Blue Skies
Release Date: October 2, 2006
So this is sure to get my ass whipped at the next hardcore show or liberal feminist get-together I go to, but I have never heard a female hardcore growler that I can stomach for more than the initial shock of, “Hey, this is a woman…and I really don’t like this.” Maybe I’m stuck with the unfair perspective that the female voice was meant for something more than bullfrogging and unholy throat noises. Of course, I’m not a deity whose word on music is law (yet) and bands like Bloodlined Calligraphy and Walls of Jericho have enjoyed moderate success in the genre. Again, there’s no accounting for taste.
Hoping to save myself from the hatemail, I’ll say this. Kingdom’s six song EP, aptly titled The Kingdom EP, would benefit no more from a dude spitting the politicized words (Kingdom are both straight-edge and vegan) over the in-your-face style of hardcore that bands like Madball and Donnybrook do to the point of proficiency. Kingdom are probably a blast live and they likely have some really keen pamphlets to hand out at their shows as well. The problem with their style of hardcore though is that it rarely translates the same energy on a recording. Ok, I’ve bagged on female hardcore vocalists, vegans, and edge kids in this review. Still not Mel Gibson, but I’m getting there.
For your information: “Final Generation”, “Lose Your Faith”
Gang vocals, anyone?: Vice Dolls, Comeback Kid, Donnybrook
Label: Goodbye Blue Skies
Release Date: October 2, 2006
So this is sure to get my ass whipped at the next hardcore show or liberal feminist get-together I go to, but I have never heard a female hardcore growler that I can stomach for more than the initial shock of, “Hey, this is a woman…and I really don’t like this.” Maybe I’m stuck with the unfair perspective that the female voice was meant for something more than bullfrogging and unholy throat noises. Of course, I’m not a deity whose word on music is law (yet) and bands like Bloodlined Calligraphy and Walls of Jericho have enjoyed moderate success in the genre. Again, there’s no accounting for taste.
Hoping to save myself from the hatemail, I’ll say this. Kingdom’s six song EP, aptly titled The Kingdom EP, would benefit no more from a dude spitting the politicized words (Kingdom are both straight-edge and vegan) over the in-your-face style of hardcore that bands like Madball and Donnybrook do to the point of proficiency. Kingdom are probably a blast live and they likely have some really keen pamphlets to hand out at their shows as well. The problem with their style of hardcore though is that it rarely translates the same energy on a recording. Ok, I’ve bagged on female hardcore vocalists, vegans, and edge kids in this review. Still not Mel Gibson, but I’m getting there.
For your information: “Final Generation”, “Lose Your Faith”
Gang vocals, anyone?: Vice Dolls, Comeback Kid, Donnybrook