Review by Maria Glover for MPM
Following on from their 2020 debut album, All Kingdoms Fall is the second full length album for Wolves based The Black Hounds, from which we have seen the release of 4 singles in 2023; “Foundations”, “Tyrant”, “Breaking the Cycle” and “Grace”.
With higher than ever streaming numbers the new tracks are obviously going down well and I was delighted to get the chance to preview the album before release!
The band features dual vocals, one sharp, melodic and clean, and the other from the pits of hell, frothing with fury, growling with hatred. The interplay between the 2 is riveting throughout and at times creates a conversational style which is distinctive and inimitable.
This is a band who blend new wave of heavy metal with a touch of prog metal lending itself to longer than average track lengths so buckle in and enjoy the ride. The intermingling vocal styles, the frantic drums, the scorching guitar solos and pounding bass will take you on a rare journey!
‘Foundations’ is a stand out track for me, and a great choice for first single, opening with church organ before a killer riff creeps in and takes over.
‘Tyrant’ and ‘Breaking The Cycle’ are quite theatrical in places and deliver up a shitload of charred and blackened death metal ferocity.
‘The Final Step’ is a 3 course meal of a track, a perfect combination of horrifying and haunting, cementing that The Hounds have secured their niche, and this is a great album.
I absolutely love ‘The Rot’ – the vocals lure me in like Pennywise.
The use of clever guitar segues to break up longer tracks is not new but is done well and blends the energetic and frenzied with the more melodic (dare I say almost ‘sweet’) moments. And how they combine the screeching guitars and catchy riffs with that guttural growl is sublime.
‘All Kingdoms Fall’ is released on all platforms 1st March and available for pre-order
Find out more on their website https://theblackhounds.com/
