We recently took a road trip with the fun-loving fellas of Relapse Records, to West Chester, PA, where we caught up The Sword, Red Fang, and Kyng as the bands were making their way to Orion Fest in Atlantic City.
After surviving Philly’s notorious rush-hour traffic on the Schuylkill and some pre-game festivities, we arrived in the burbs just in time catch the closing bells of Southern Cali’s hard rock trio, Kyng. From the onset of the lineup, it was clear we were going to see some 70s flavored-metal and Black Sabbath worship.
Kyng are currently celebrating a new full-length release on Realid Records, entitled Trampled Sun, that hit streets last September and has seen the band tour steadily. With a vocal style that remains on the accessible and classic end of the spectrum, the band adds a modern spin by incorporating a lot of punchy double-bass drum work and busy guitar riffing. Many of the songs in Kyng‘s arsenal take on a life of their own, ranging from alternative anthems that would fit well on bill with Queens of The Stone Age, to darker, sludgier moments that bring to mind bands like Kyuss. You’ll even hear elements of blues creep in to round out a sound that has undeniable potential to reach significant heights. Definitely a band to keep an eye on.
Red Fang hit the stage next and brought the fucking thunder with their patented blend of crushingly thick bass distortion and meaty drums that sit perfectly under a barrage of tasty rock riffs that hit in all of the right places. It only took the locals a few moments to go from looking baffled to falling in sync with the pounding grooves. Again, the Sabbath worship is apparent here, but not in a played-out or predicable way. Red Fang have latched onto and refined a sound that gives nod to the glory days of hard rock while incorporating many new facets of modern metal that appeals to a wide spectrum of fans. This fact is none more apparent than looking at the list of bands Red Fang has toured with over the past few years. We had the pleasure of interviewing the boys in Washington DC on their national tour with Mastodon and Dillinger Escape Plan. This tour followed 2011’s Metalliance tour with Crowbar and Helmet and a slot on 2011’s Mayhem Festival with Magadeth. Red Fang‘s trajectory has unapologetically upward as they continue to build a rapid fan base.
Austin, TX’s heavy metal titans, The Sword, closed out the evening with a solid performance that featured the band’s newest edition, Jimmy Vela, on drums. Vela is the first permanent member to fill out the line-up since 2004, and he fit like a glove. The Sword‘s performance remained energetic and impassioned throughout, inciting a heightened response from the crowd.
Things are looking up for The Sword who recently signed to New York’s Razor & Tie Entertainment, and began recording their fourth studio album, Apocryphon, on June 25th with with producer and engineer J. Robbins at his Magpie Cage Studios in Baltimore. With a sound that has continued to develop since their inception, it will interesting to see what these purveyors of infectious metal do next.
We know you are here for the concert photos, so without further ado..
All photos by Blow The Scene, Senior Staff Photographer, Dante Torrieri of Useless Rebel Imaging.
Kyng
Red Fang
The Sword
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