REVIEW: “La Petite Mort or a Conversation with God” by King 810
Hailing from Flint, Michigan, King 810 are probably one of the most controversial bands around at the moment. They put a lot of music before “Memoirs of a Murderer” and a lot of music between that and this, their second Major label album. The “Midwest Monsters 2” EP was a taste of what this album was going to be like and this features the original version of the awesome “Vendettas” rather than the remixed version along with a guest appearance from rapper Trick Trick on “In War Time”, presumably recorded in the same sessions. Orchestral elements and samples add to the overall sound, adding a depth to the music and these elements have all been used on the singles that have been released between the albums to great effect. A lot of the songs flow into one another with the use of segways, fades and rises, samples and eerie keys. This adds the the overall atmospheric as well as giving the album a complete sound. Many fans will have feared that King 810 would change their style and move in more of an acoustic bordering on country style or even into rap. Far from it. The first half of the album is metal. “Heavy Lies The Crown” is perhaps more of an introduction than a song in itself, while the brutal “Alpha & Omega” shows that the extremes have pushed out in both directions for the band. 8 minute epic “La Petite Mort” is deep on atmosphere, spoken word over a variety of musical instruments, stunning and captivating. The auto-biographical “I Ain’t Goin’ Back Again” is probably the darkest song on the album, again completely captivating. The Jazz foray of “Life’s not enough” and “Me & Maxine” will catch you completely off guard but they’re amazing songs. King 810 are so much more than a Metal band. David Gunn’s storytelling is a step up throughout. It’s a magical record. [9/10]