Album Review: King Kraken – March of the Gods (Self Released)
Two years since the release of their debut album ‘MCLXXX’, it’s time for the Kraken to rise once again. ‘March of the Gods’ will be released on April 18th, 2025.
‘MCLXXX’ was such a banger. I reviewed it back when it was released in 2023 and summed it up as an album that delivered on King Kraken’s promise of addictive hard rock heaviness and groove, combined with a love for sci-fi and horror. It was so good in fact, that following it up, is one hell of a task. Good thing they’re well and truly up for the challenge, eh?
The groovy riffs of Scream, combined with hefty drum beats and the commanding power of the vocals, are immediately addictive, and then the chorus hits. King Kraken have clearly been thinking about anthems, live anthems, this time around and this is a sign of that. No complaints though, it and the following dynamism of El Giganto and head banging intensity of Berzerker kicks so much ass. Talk about a band sounding so in touch with each other.
King Kraken couldn’t have got the album off to a stronger start with a trio of absolute bangers, but it also makes it apparent that this album is ‘all killer, no filler’ and to further solidify that point, along comes the title track.
Hell f**king yeah. This is the groovy s**t I am here for, and King Kraken put a stupid smile on my face with this body shaker of a hit. If you want to show someone how good this band is when they just rock it up, this is the track you play them. However, this is just one side to King Kraken and it’s quite something to have this followed by Hero. I’m going to defer to the words I wrote in the Single Slam (our weekly single review roundup) in February when this track was first released.
Incredible. It simply doesn’t get more personal than this, and even though it’s such a different type of song for the band, they throw their all into delivering something so memorable. Who would have expected King Kraken to throw out something so dramatic, so powerful, and so heavy with emotion? Hugely impressive.
Having heard it multiple times and hearing it in the album context, I appreciate this track even more. It’s special.
Take a deep bloody breath though, there’s still so much to come and the thick riffs, smooth vocals, and head banging groove is back with aplomb on Vigilante, a track with a sludgy tempo twist too. Then there is Preacher, a track with more elaborate guitar rhythms that give it a grungy flavour in places, and Magnum Opus, a track that that lets the vocals dictate the pace. It might not be the album’s ‘magnum opus’, but it’s another absolute banger from King Kraken.
Inspired by The Evil Dead and delivering the kind of groove to even get a Deadite moving, Chainsaw Saviour is going to sound immense live, all because of its revved-up chorus and brash guitar soloing. It’s the penultimate track, which means sadly, Under the Sun is the finale and it sees King Kraken going out with a mighty big bang. A slower, chilled, but ‘thicc’ sounding bang.
They’ve outdone themselves, somehow. March of the Gods is an album of the year contender.
King Kraken – March of the Gods Track Listing:
1. Scream
2. El Giganto
3. Berzerker
4. March of the Gods
5. Hero
6. Vigilante
7. Preacher
8. Magnum Opus
9. Chainsaw Saviour
10. Under the Sun
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King Kraken - March of the Gods (Self Released)
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The Final Score - 10/10
10/10
