Review: “K5: Follow My Tears” by King 810

A growing concern since 2007, the rise of Flint Michigan natives King 810 has been an interesting one with a steady evolution in sound between records adding new textural layers of beauty to a brutal core sound. The creators of that for the past two albums and this EP are vocalist David Gunn and bassist Eugene Gill, the only surviving original members of the group and while 2019’s “Suicide King” was a mixed bag, their last offering “AK Concerto No. 47, 11th Movement in G Major” three years ago was far more like it. So where to now? They’ve often quoted as saying they will “…never make the same move twice and we’re always creating“…

Reminiscent of “Heartbeats” from the aforementioned “Suicide King“, the industrial tinged “Brains On The Asphalt” gets the party started in electric fashion with David Gunn finding new voices to reach schizophrenic levels of performance. Matching the power of “Alpha & Omega” with the brutal chorus, the verses get creepy raps and whispers to provide maximum contrast and the result is a lethal dose of King 810 hatred. A soundscape that embraces “Infamous” era Motionless In White forms the backdrop to the astounding “Widdershins“, a cut so loaded with ideas and fresh sounds that it takes a moment to get your head around. One part gangster rap, one part industrial metal with an almost Deathcore level explosive finale, it has a serious punch and wow factor. A scream-a-long chorus gives “Holy Water” an anthemic quality, the unhinged rap vocal parts adding to the theory that Gunn belongs in a straight jacket in Arkham Asylum. As with the earlier cuts this one has plenty of nuance with little things popping out of the mix over repeated listens before “Isobel” rises to the surface. Orchestrated and embellished by choral moments, the song has an almost ethereal quality to it despite its harsher moments and Gunn is once again on absolute fire. The pictures he paints with his words conjure images like those that feature in James O’Barr’s The Crow and that remains in evidence here, this collection perhaps more consistent and distinctive than their more recent offerings. “Say Cheese And Die” maintains the energy levels while bringing a stomp, the rhythm section working overtime with funky groove to carry the insanity of the frenetic vocal. There is even a rarely heard solo of sorts in the final moments to bring this one home. As a collection this is a fine addition to the discography and feels complete rather than being a stop gap release to tide them over to the next album… [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Brains On The Asphalt
2. Widdershins
3. Holy Water
4. Isobel
5. Say Cheese And Die

“K5: Follow My Tears” by King 810 was released on 23rd January 2023 via King Nation