Written: 26th March 2025
It has been two years since the release of King Kraken’s debut album MCLXXX but the band have been far from idle during that time: a string of live dates behind them include support slots with Fury, South of Salem, Crowbar and Geoff Tate. They were also invited to play at Bloodstock Open Air Festival in Derbyshire and having won the opening band poll competition, they will kick off proceedings at Stonedead Festival later this year.
Scream opens March of the Gods in powerful fashion as monumental, crunching riffs take immediate hold. Pulsating and rampaging with an irresistible groove, guitarists Pete Rose and Adam Healey drive the song forward from the outset. Momentarily, all the instruments cease and vocalist Mark Donoghue announces his arrival. Stand back and watch the sky fall / Don’t pay attention to the devastation of it all. On a track that lyrically evokes an intense battle between personal trauma and the resilience to overcome this, King Kraken conjure a world of turmoil, reflecting internal collapse. Ashen faces let the world burn / Of dust be born they never learn / Wading through the fog of the unknown / Stand up for yourself you’re not alone. With both raw power and memorable hooks, the band ensures this opening track is a compelling and exciting start.
If anything, second track El Giganto raises the tempo and the intensity even further. King Kraken – as their name suggests – often draw on both mythological and apocalyptic imagery. On El Giganto, they reference a fifty storey high creature that embodies destruction and chaos, inspired by monstrous beings in popular culture with a clear nod to giant kaiju. Also implied is a satanic or demonic influence making the creature not just a mindless destroyer, but also a malevolent being, connected to dark forces. Spreading molten caustic shroud / Born of a giant mushroom cloud / How the devil must be proud / His servant El Giganto. Taking on such a subject requires a band to be able to back up their lyrics musically and here King Kraken stomp with dark vehemence, drummer Richard Lee Mears and bassist Karl Meyer laying down a mountainous foundation of rhythm over which the rest of the band soar. Healy’s solo increases in speed and dexterity as if we are looking up at the beast itself.
Berserker drops the tempo but ramps up the stomping assault on the senses. In Norse mythology, Berserkers were members of a class of ancient warriors who worked themselves into a frenzy before battle, fighting with abnormal fury and courage. Donoghue has the vocal punch necessary to deliver such a track while the rest of the band vary the dynamics allowing for moments of respite as the protagonist reflects on his current situation. This is the time of my awakening / Of blood and steel I hold my own. King Kraken also show they understand the need to balance melody with power and as Mears, Meyer and Rose keep the thundering cadence going, Healey provides another intelligent and interesting solo. In the band’s words, “Think of beer swigging, fur covered, horned brutes shouting, ‘Valhalla calls!’ and you're almost there!"
Title track March of the Gods increases the tempo once more as a staccato rhythm fires rapid salvos towards us. Illustrating a sense of inevitable, divine procession as the gods are enacting a ritualistic force over the mortal plane, there is an unsettling finality in the lyrics. This is the march of the gods / This is a message for the lost / No matter what you do / They are standing over you / This is the march of the gods. The riffs continue to cascade with crushing force and stirring determination as the track unfolds. King Kraken make clever use of tempo with a slower central section bolstering the intensity of the moment yet further as Healey unleashes one of the finest solos on the album.
After four tracks of sustained fervour, Hero is a complete change of direction both in atmosphere and subject matter. Beginning with sonorous, lamenting guitar and a heartfelt, deeply emotional vocal, King Kraken unveil the most personal song to be found on March Of The Gods - a tribute to Mark Donoghue’s father and a reflection on his untimely passing. "It captures a snapshot in time that repeats itself every time a memory of my father is triggered. I knew I wanted to write something deeply emotional while at the same time not going overboard. I wanted to convey a message that was both raw and easy to understand. It certainly was a tough one to sing and still catches me off guard sometimes." Adding a completely different dimension to the album, Hero is a beautifully arranged track that allows King Kraken to show another side to their songwriting. Healey’s guitar licks and solos are tasteful and completely in keeping with the track. Donoghue gives a wonderful performance, showing just what an adept and emotive vocalist he truly is.
Vigilante begins the second half of the album with a dark, vengeful narrative, rooted in themes of retribution and dominance. Each of the heavier tracks here has an alluring groove. Vigilante and following track Preacher both exhibit this and the latter of these shows that King Kraken are becoming increasingly confident at experimenting with different tempos within the same song. The first half of Preacher - a track based on Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider - is dark and moody, an aura that continues until mid-way through when the pace increases and the song becomes a fully fledged heavy metal monster, with embellishments that hint at their thrash metal influences. Magnum Opus is a high-octane anthem that celebrates the union of man and machine in a relentless pursuit of power and freedom. The lyrics centre around the image of a supercharged vehicle, symbolizing pure energy, adrenaline, and unstoppable force. With the narrative taking place in a desolate, scorched wasteland, the track crackles and reverberates with the fierce throb of an engine. Weaponised four wheel scream machine / Geared up electrifying dream / Faster into freedom / Where nobody goes.
The band’s love for sludge / groove metal is never more evident than on penultimate track Chainsaw Saviour. The song’s protagonist is a direct reference to Ash Williams, the iconic hero of The Evil Dead, who famously uses a chainsaw to fight off hordes of demons and undead. King Kraken comment, “We wanted the track to sound like it was sludging its way through, like a zombie rising from the grave. It’s a throwback to classic horror soundscapes, but we wanted to incorporate our modern rock intensity to make it perfect for fans who love their music with a blood-curdling bite.” There is an almost sleazy, grimy feel to the main riff which perfectly suits the mood of the lyrics and the imagery that the band are trying to create. Couple this with the confident swagger in King Kraken’s musicianship and they have the recipe for another blistering song.
March of the Gods ends with Under The Sun, a track which, once again, finds the quintet experimenting with tempos and moods, mixing heavy riffs with more melodic breaks during the verses. With a swaying rhythm, Under the Sun depicts a vengeful, unstoppable force rising from chaos, consuming everything in its path. The figure, fuelled by humanity's mistakes, claims dominion over the world, leaving destruction and despair behind. Although only five minutes long, there is an epic feel to the song bringing the album to a dynamic conclusion.
Much as I enjoyed the band’s debut album, March Of The Gods feels like a step-up in every way, from the songwriting to the confidence that oozes from each song. Producer Romesh Dodangoda has masterfully blended the visceral energy, melodic touches, and groove-infused riffs that King Kraken conjure, with each and every instrument clearly audible even during the heaviest moments of the album. With influences ranging from Black Sabbath to Clutch, Mastodon to Pantera and Black Stone Cherry to Slayer, the Welsh quintet have produced an excellent, cohesive and eminently re-listenable album that ranges from hard rock to heavy metal to moments of thrash. Among the best and most enjoyable albums of the year so far.
With March of the Gods set for release in mid-April and a UK tour on the horizon, 2025 is set to be an important year for the Welsh quintet. Having an album as strong as March of the Gods under their belts means things can only get bigger and better for them. Worship the Kraken here….
March of the Gods is released on 18th April 2025. Pre-order the album here.
King Kraken online
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