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04/05/09, 05:49 PM
Kingdoms - Atlantis
Record Label: None
Release Date: October 3, 2008 (free download (http://www.myspace.com/kingdoms))
Who?
A metalcore act from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada that sounds quite a bit like Norma Jean.
How is it?
Originality isn’t of the utmost importance to me, but Kingdoms sound just the same as the million other bands in their genre. From the screams to the breakdowns to the chugga-chugga guitars, it’s all been done before. Despite the lack of originality that Kingdoms possess, it’s far from their biggest downfall.
With Atlantis, Kingdoms present a well-played release. The major problem I have with Atlantis are the songs themselves. The first four songs on the EP really play out as if they are all one continuous song. Kingdoms only really begin to shift the direction of Atlantis with “La Serena”, the closer to Atlantis. By this time though, the effort comes a bit too late. It seems that if the songs had been better, my opinion of this release would be completely different. To reiterate my point about Kingdoms' mediocrity, screamer Hutton sounds identical to, if not almost an exact copy of, Norma Jean’s Cory Brandan and Every Time I Die’s Keith Buckley. Fans of either of the aforementioned bands should find this release particularly appealing due to the similarities to each band’s respective front man.
One of the features I highly enjoy with Kingdoms, and in particular Atlantis, are the clean vocals. While the vocals don't come from the most talented in the genre, they are not at all like the standard high vocals that have gotten very popular lately. The vocals are what save most of the songs on this release. The guitar work also helps create quite a bit of the melody as well.
In the end, Atlantis is a fairly standard metalcore release that doesn‘t do much to further the genre. That said, Kingdoms do show some potential. Hopefully, the next time will yield a much better result.
Norma Jean; Oh, Sleeper; Farewell To Freeway
myspace.com/kingdoms (http://www.myspace.com/kingdoms)
Record Label: None
Release Date: October 3, 2008 (free download (http://www.myspace.com/kingdoms))
Who?
A metalcore act from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada that sounds quite a bit like Norma Jean.
How is it?
Originality isn’t of the utmost importance to me, but Kingdoms sound just the same as the million other bands in their genre. From the screams to the breakdowns to the chugga-chugga guitars, it’s all been done before. Despite the lack of originality that Kingdoms possess, it’s far from their biggest downfall.
With Atlantis, Kingdoms present a well-played release. The major problem I have with Atlantis are the songs themselves. The first four songs on the EP really play out as if they are all one continuous song. Kingdoms only really begin to shift the direction of Atlantis with “La Serena”, the closer to Atlantis. By this time though, the effort comes a bit too late. It seems that if the songs had been better, my opinion of this release would be completely different. To reiterate my point about Kingdoms' mediocrity, screamer Hutton sounds identical to, if not almost an exact copy of, Norma Jean’s Cory Brandan and Every Time I Die’s Keith Buckley. Fans of either of the aforementioned bands should find this release particularly appealing due to the similarities to each band’s respective front man.
One of the features I highly enjoy with Kingdoms, and in particular Atlantis, are the clean vocals. While the vocals don't come from the most talented in the genre, they are not at all like the standard high vocals that have gotten very popular lately. The vocals are what save most of the songs on this release. The guitar work also helps create quite a bit of the melody as well.
In the end, Atlantis is a fairly standard metalcore release that doesn‘t do much to further the genre. That said, Kingdoms do show some potential. Hopefully, the next time will yield a much better result.
Norma Jean; Oh, Sleeper; Farewell To Freeway
myspace.com/kingdoms (http://www.myspace.com/kingdoms)