King Corpse - Sacred Crimson

King Corpse have been making quite the name for themselves in the Midlands as purveyors of grim Sludge Metal of the most rancid quality. The grim pounding of thunderous bangers like ‘Swamp Thing’ take a deep dive into Stoner Rock’s darkest recesses and take a morbid fascination in seeing what monstrosities they can coax out of the shadows. Gearing up for the release of this hotly anticipated new EP, I was very excited for more of the same. Business as usual from the Sludge Factory (see what I did there?)… What I got, however, was not that. Well, not exactly that, but that and a whole lot more!

After an ominous, swirling intro, opening track Exhumation lumbers into view with a familiarly gnarly riff, but this is juxtaposed wonderfully with a vocal line that’s dominated by a whistleable clean melody and mournful harmony. Vocalist/Bassist Jack Cradock’s enviable screams are not gone, but the track is dominated by this relatively clean (we’re still listening to a Sludge record, after all) singing and it’s clear that the band has been investing time into their playing. By the time the thunderous ending has burnt out and I’ve picked my jaw up off of the floor, it’s plainly obvious that this EP is neither ‘Old King Corpse’, nor a radical departure from the old, this is the sound of a band coming into their own.

Second track. ‘Drowning’, also sports a nasty slab of riffage that feels like a very well fitting, if a little slime-stained, pair of shoes. A new addition is the jarring, discordant clean sections, reminiscent of 80s King Crimson, that divide the onslaught of sludge, giving the track a bizarrely satisfying feel that is somehow simultaneously abrasive and refreshing. Alongside some tortured howls, the vocals retain their melodic sense even more so than on the previous track.

Clocking in at over ten minutes, third track ‘Climb My Bones’ really hammers the progressive edge of this EP. With a richly diverse arrangement led by yet more catchy vocal melody, this track sees the band master their control of the proverbial gas pedal, backing off at just the right moments so that you’re left stunned when they floor it again. A break ruled by acoustic guitar and threatening synths swirling underneath is evocative of Rush. If Rush had been performing in Chernobyl when Rector Number Four had gone critical, that is. In fact, the guitar work in general on this song particularly stands out, adding bluesy flourish and tasty solos to the cauldron of toxic waste. As the EP’s centrepiece, this beast of a song really does not disappoint.

Closing track ‘Sons of Mourning’ is a welcome return to a more straight-ahead, head-down serving of utter savagery. It’s the only track where the screams lead the way, but their ferocity clearly demonstrates that they’re not about to go anywhere any time soon! After another trippy clean interlude that messrs Lee, Peart and Lifeson would kill in cold blood for, the track opens up to a homorhythmic, droning dirge with mournful chanted vocals that’s sure to be loved by the die-hards of fellow midland Doom-mongers, Voidlurker. It’s fitting that Cradock’s most brutal screams come at the end of the track, and the entire EP, hammering home that King Corpse are most certainly here and here for the foreseeable. 

This is not the sound of a band abandoning their roots by any means. This is the sound of a band letting their roots dig deep down, providing a rock-solid anchor as they sprout above ground and reach out towards the sky. This is the sound of a band pushing the envelope. This is the sound of a band who it’s a shame more people don’t know about in 2020. I can’t tell you how happy it's made me to listen to a Sludge Metal album that I can hum along to…  

For Fans Of: Voidlurker, Melvins, Thou, Rush

DEAL: Climb My Bones

BP