Though it’s not unheard of for me to review a band that’s completely unheard of, this North Carolina outfit comes with a bit of history—namely, frontman Karl Agell sang on Corrosion of Conformity’s breakthrough Blind album. (He was also in Leadfoot, a late 90s stoner-rock outfit, alongside King Hitter guitarist Scott Little.) Do I expect this 25-minute EP to be anywhere near as groundbreaking? Nah, but it’s probably worth a listen anyways…
We open up with the song “King Hitter” by the band King Hitter from the EP King Hitter, the title track a driving, up-tempo rocker with that late-90s stoner style that wouldn’t sound outta place from Man’s Ruin. “Drone Again” is not nearly as sleepy as its moniker would attest, inhabiting the more up-tempo realm of post-grunge. Hell, I could even picture hearing this on the radio… if I still owned one of those.
That said, this act’s morose subject matter would probably preclude it from any form of airplay. “Feel No Pain” is practically power metal, what with its aggressive, melodic attack and war-themed lyrics. Suffice to say “Suicide (is the Retirement Plan)” isn’t sound financial advice, and this number takes a darker tone despite Agell’s soaring vocals. “The End” brings the EP to a close on a not-much-more positive note. But hey, if you ignore the lyrics, there’s some pretty solid riffage here.
(Restricted Release/Plastic Head Music)
candlelightrecordsusa.bandcamp.com/album/king-hitter
