UK band GOBLIN KING is a very recent player in the UK metal scene, officially forming as late as May 2017. “Blood, Drugs, and Death N’ Roll” is their debut EP, and is set to be released on August 10th 2017.

What we’re dealing with here is a band that favors creating what might be described as uncomplicated, rough and dark metal in many ways. There aren’t any technically challenging elongated guitar solo runs or passages where the vocalist tries reaching towards the very edge of his register, nor are there any sections that comes across as challenging from an intellectual point of view. This is straight to your face and in your throat heavy metal, and a dark and dirty variety of it at that.

The riffs are dark and heavy, the vocals raspy and hoarse, the rhythm section rock solid and pounding. A band like Tank came to mind here and there, especially in the relatively longer tracks, but there are also some details that bring stoner metal and punk to mind, then mainly in the shorter and pacier songs. The use of elegant and flowing guitar solo runs and catchy chorus sections also comes with some associations of their own, and while the band suggests death n’roll as a genre, my impression is that death punk may just be somewhat appropriate as well.

Overall my impression is that Goblin King blaze along like a dark and dirty bastard child of Motorhead and Turbonegro on this EP. Complete with the aroma of Jack Daniels to be strong enough to warrant a safe distance away from an open flame. Dark, heavy, somewhat grimy and a whole lot of catchy. A strong debut by a new band that sounds like seasoned players already, it will be interesting to see if they manage to continue to produce material of this quality on future releases as well.

My rating: 84/100

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Track list:
Blood, Drugs, and Death n’Roll, Goblin King, 667, Eye of the Storm, Death Sti-XXX