Review: King Kraken – March Of The Gods

Self-Release (April 18^th 2025)

Reviewer – Grant Foster

There’s heavy and there’s heavy.

A startling statement to open this review!

King Kraken are heavy, but not old school heavy. With influences such as Mastodon, Clutch and Sabbath, these Welsh rockers are groove heavy. 

‘Scream‘ opens the album in powerful fashion with an irresistible groove. 

‘El Giganto‘ sounds like a WWE wrestler and it’s not far off. Big and muscly and stomping. It references a fifty high storey creature who wreaks havoc and destruction.

Are you getting the picture yet?

‘Berserker‘, although slower, stomps. 

The title track has a staccato approach and also uses a clever use of tempo. King Kraken also use neat melodies in order to create their textures stick.

‘Hero‘, to me, shows where King Kraken’s hidden jewel lies. Brooding and almost bluesy, it gives singer Mark Donaghue a chance to really flex his emotional side. More like this please!

‘Vigilante‘ is dark and brooding with that KK groove.

‘Preacher‘, based on the movie Pale Rider, starts off in a darker fashion but opens up and becomes a full on metal assault that brings the bands thrash sensibilities to the fore.

‘Chainsaw Saviour‘ is so thick you can feel the ooze so to speak. The main guitar riff grooving away to its hearts content.

The production compliments what King Kraken are all about nicely. Clarity with power. 

If KK really want to ‘Krack’ open their market, then look at ‘Hero‘ as the template. After all it worked for Metallica. Even so what you have here is a heavy band that demands to be listened to and a new album they can be justifiably proud of.

Track Listing:

1. Scream
2. El Giganto
3. Berzerker
4. March of the Gods
5. Hero
6. Vigilante
7. Preacher
8. Magnum Opus
9. Chainsaw Saviour
10. Under the Sun

Line-up:

Mark Donoghue – vocals
Adam Healey – guitars
Pete Rose – guitars
Karl Meyer – bass
Richard Lee Mears – drums

Web Links:

Official Website

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