UK band KING BISON are fairly new players on the scene. The band was formed last year, and consists of members with a past in bands such as Bring the Plague, Knotslip and Huron. “Snake Head Burial” is their debut EP, and is set for release in early January 2018.
On the four cuts that makes up this EP, we are treated to a band that hone in on the dark, grimy and dirty variety of metal. They alternate between slower paced passages and more intense sequences with ease, and it is evident that these guys know rather well what they want to achieve and how they want to go about to accomplish that.
In terms of style I’d say that in their slower passages the likely influence from stoner rock bands and possibly the ancient gods of metal themselves, Black Sabbath, does shine through. King Bison’s music is of a more contemporary nature, but the core origins of their style ventures back there. When hitting pacier runs, classic heavy metal as well as a band like Motorhead comes to mind, here explored in more of a beer-drenched and diesel flavored manner rather than the Jack Daniels and speed flavored music of Lemmy and his various band members over the years.
The gruff lead vocals of Karlo Glover is also a detail that brings Motorhead to mind, at least to some extent. They are dark toned and twisted, but lacks the nicotine drenched hoarse and gravelly delivery of the late Kilminster. Without that additional aspect the vocals comes across as something of an acquired taste for me, one of those love or hate details some bands tends to have.
As King Bison appears right now they are still a band in development I think. The songs lacks that dimension that makes me really take notice, but it is a fun and very well made creation that should find plenty of favor among fans of their particular brand of grimy metal. If you like your metal dark and filthy and made in a manner not too far removed from the likes of Motorhead, King Bison is a band that warrants a check.
My rating: 65/100
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Track list:
B. B. V. S. // Who’s Got Your Back // Demon Tongues & Leather // Filthy Son of a Bitch
