Young Guns set the bar high with their 4-track EP entitled “Mirrors” and with the recent dramatic increase in their fan base, the expectations for the quintet’s debut...     read more

Young Guns set the bar high with their 4-track EP entitled “Mirrors” and with the recent dramatic increase in their fan base, the expectations for the quintet’s debut album were soaring. ‘All Our Kings Are Dead’, to put it simply, has exceeded my expectations.

Immediate favourites and singles “Sons of Apathy” and “Crystal Clear” snatch away your attention with their huge choruses, fit for sing-alongs in stadiums and frontman Gustav Wood’s words remain honest and inspiring. The more sensitive side is bared through “Meter & Verse” allows a more profound connection between artist and listener, without being depressing. Having been re-recorded, crowd-pleaser “Weight of the World” follows and whilst this new rendition certainly pleases, you can’t help but feel it doesn’t quite possess the anthemic qualities of the original gracing the band’s EP. However, credit certainly goes out for reworking this piece rather than slapping on exactly the same song as an obvious filler. The raw sound often associated with Young Guns returns with “D.O.A.”, a more successfully altered song, filled with the big chorus fans are more accustomed to. Vocally, the highlight for Gustav Wood would have to be the heart-wrenching “Stitches”, where the beauty of his voice is only emphasised further through the emotive lyrics. Even with the emotional outpour throughout the quieter, mellower songs, you’re not afraid to react positively to the more exciting moments. Whilst the added strings in “Winter Kiss” do build up a darker, lonelier atmosphere, it still has enough key changes to keep you entertained.

The big, heavier riffs of “Elements” immediately engage with you and I can imagine would certainly be a live favourite, provoking an energetic response. However, the more accessible songs like “Sons of Apathy” and “Crystal Clear” become very dominant over the listener’s attention, which doesn’t allow you to take in songs like “Endless Grey” and “After the War” very easily due to the stark differences in style. However, this also plays to the bands advantage with fans who will return to the record as these songs only sound better and better with each given listen. Closing track and personal favourite “Beneath The Waves”, to put it bluntly, brings the record to an epic end.

This is exactly what’s so beautiful about ‘All Our Kings Are Dead’. This and the band have stayed true to themselves and their fans, playing the music they love. It’s not indulgent and it doesn’t attract undesired attention. For Young Guns, the future looks very promising.