●●●●○
With the likes of Sam Fender leading the pack in the revival of British rock, punk is making its way back to the fore. King Nun aren’t too far behind the likes of the 1975 and Pale Waves, who are melding indie, rock and punk in a melange of genres. After a long-anticipated debut, King Nun’s Mass delivers more than just angsty feelings and pounding guitars. Instead, this record balances searing guitar riffs and bristling melodies, bringing punk rock back with a bang.
King Nun don’t hide themselves behind their cacophonous guitars. They throw their hearts around with raw lyrics such as: “where do you go when you’re down to the bone?” in ‘Transformer’. They sum up what it is to be young in the horrific state of the world we’re in right now, a place where “sucking lemons is more sincere”. The candid lyrics cut through the ferociously good riffs, building up to rich choruses and tidal wave bridges.
They provide a soundtrack to the messy years of your late teens and early twenties. Openers ‘Mascara Runs’ and ‘Chinese Medicine’ are fast-paced, head-banging rock tracks with the latter being a highlight of the album. The quartet could have easily flown off the handle and produced a wall of noise, unrelenting guitars and harsh drums. They didn’t fall into the trap of becoming rock fiends, a genuine worry after their debut single ‘Tulip’ released back in 2016.
Instead, they’ve taken control of their music, become disciplined. This is adamant in the more paired-back closing tracks ‘Bug’ and ‘A Giant Came Down’. Rock albums can be highly energetic and it can be hard to keep that energy up throughout. Rather than trying to blast guitar riffs right to the very end, King Nun dip their toes into the experimental and sentimental. Hints of indie and even pop trickle through, adding variation throughout the record.
Their attempts at maturity are more hits than misses. Whilst lead single ‘Black Tree’ tries that bit too hard, ‘Intravenous’ feels more honest. Roaring vocals and trashing drums work in harmony, a perfect punk formula. Mass is an example of a band who want to hone their craft, cultivate the rough talent they began with. “This is all new skin, I’m learning what I’m in” lead singer Theo Polyzoides sings on ‘A Giant Came Down’ and it’s clear they’re still growing but definitely in the right direction.
