There are not many bands that have truly mastered the art of being able to suck you out of whatever world you’re in and put you in their’s. This experience is something that King 810 fans, however, have grown accustomed to with the band’s music. From their very first EP, ‘Midwest Monsters’, King 810 has drawn in fans with their no holds barred brutality, which is unmatched in the world of heavy metal.
King 810 recently released an 8 year anniversary edition of ‘Midwest Monsters’ on vinyl. As a long time fan, it was an instant purchase for me. When it arrived, I was even more over the moon so of course I had to get on my soapbox and tell you all about it!
Background on King 810 and Midwest Monsters
If you’re a fan of heavy music and you haven’t been listening to King 810, you’re missing out. Based out of Flint, Michigan, King 810’s subject matter directly reflects what life has been like for them in their city. Where other heavy bands may draw examples from world events in their music, King 810 has the life experience to back it up. They are a standout band because they have never pretended to be anything they’re not and it shows with just how raw their music feels every time you listen. This is especially true in their early work.
From 2010 to 2012, Flint was ranked as the city with the highest violent crime rate with a population of 100,000. In the most recent data released that reflects 2018, Flint’s total crime rate was 75% above the national average and violent crime was 378% above the national average.
I give you these statistics because King 810 for years has been criticized for “promoting violence”. If you have ever truly listened to their lyrics though, you’d know that’s not the case. With that being said, because of the band’s transparency, their music is far more realistically aggressive than that of other bands. Promoting violence is something totally different.
Released in 2012, the ‘Midwest Monsters’ EP is filled with nonstop aggression. It’s also what got them signed after falling into the hands of Roadrunner Records.
The Merch
Only 1,000 copies of ‘Midwest Monsters’ were pressed in 2012 upon its release. King 810 still has some of these available up on their site, and cost is subject to how many they have left.
What I picked up, however, is the 8 year anniversary edition vinyl. Just based on what was included, I didn’t think twice about ordering it. It contains an 8 page artwork booklet as well as some of David Gunn’s journal entries from 2010 and 2011.
Tracklist For Midwest Monsters
The pure primal aggression that King 810 are the masters of unleashing is first introduced in the opener, which is also the title track. It creates a tense and chaotic atmosphere that is not like anything we’ve heard before. Amid cheers, “The Death Posture” starts off with the heaviest show-tune style riff your ears will behold and I mean that in the best way possible folks. It’s here that “the entertainer”, in this case, David Gunn, really shows us how aggressive a showman can be. In terms of Gunn’s overall vocal performances, I think this is one of his best out of any album. It also contains one of his most powerful growls.
The next track, “Murder Murder Murder” is one of my favorite King 810 tracks of all time. While ‘Midwest Monsters’ was their EP, this track was released again on their debut studio album ‘Memoirs Of A Murderer’. It’s just such an incredibly hostile track and if it doesn’t get your blood pumping, I don’t know what will.
If you’re already a fan of King 810, you know that David Gunn is lyrical poet. One of the things that makes this band so special is their ability to give you imagery through both their sound and their lyrics. “Magician” proves this as Gunn channels his inner demons. We move from that eerie atmosphere into the pure savagery that is “Wolves”. This continues into “KIA”, which adds in the fierce intensity of what feels like a battle ground. The final track, “Dragging Knives”, keeps the momentum going and closes the album with pure unfiltered brutality.
The Final Verdict
If you’re a fan of heavy music and you haven’t listened to ‘Midwest Monsters’ yet, you need to. End of Story. King 810 is an extremely underrated band that doesn’t get anywhere near the credit they deserve. Perhaps it because of the misconception behind their art that I mentioned earlier.
In terms of sound, the intensity you hear on this EP is not something that can be replicated or faked. It’s better and heavier than most bands can put forth on a studio album at any point in their career. The vinyl itself is definitely worth the purchase, especially if you’re a collector.
Where to Find ‘Midwest Monsters’
If you’re looking to pick up this vinyl, you can order it here. I wouldn’t wait on this though as there is a limited quantity.
As I mentioned earlier, King 810 does still have the original pressing of ‘Midwest Monsters’ up for grabs too. While I have the vinyl, it’s something I’m hoping I can pick up too before they’re all gone. You can order that here.
If you’re just hearing about King 810 for the first time and want to listen before making a purchase, you can find ‘Midwest Monsters’ on your favorite streaming platform.
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