Written by: Nameless_N00b_90
Kingcrown may be a relatively new band, having formed in 2018, but its frontman, Joe Amore—or Jo Amore if you’re olde—has been rocking the world for more than four decades. Much of that time was spent with Nightmare, first on the drums and then, after a hiatus, as the lead vocalist, where his raspy voice received high praise from our ape overlord. In fact, The Steel One enjoyed Amore’s singing so much that he even dredged up Kingcrown’s last album for the March 2022 Filter. Kingcrown bills itself as French power metal and features similarly middle-aged, though not quite as experienced, musicians. It’s clear that Nova Atlantis takes a lot of influence from the ‘80s music these artists likely listened to growing up. There’s always an audience for retro-style metal. The question is whether these aging musicians have the chops to make it relevant for a modern audience.
Though Kingcrown cites such influences as Iron Maiden and Helloween, other styles from the ‘80s rock and metal scene pervade their music as well. On this melodic journey, you might hear a snippet of Mötley Crüe, sniff a hint of Def Leppard, or catch a whiff of King Diamond. Kingcrown plays power metal that ranges the gamut from speedy thrash to mid-tempo hard rock to a gently-sung ballad, but pay close attention and you will find some surprising touches. There’s the Maiden-like strumming that introduces and concludes “Judgement Day,” and the synths on “Letter of You” that will take you back to Europe’s “The Final Countdown.” When the solos scream out at a high pitch on “Endless Journey,” I couldn’t help but think back to glam metal-era music videos complete with bad hairdos and even worse outfits. But Kingcrown is not simply ‘80s worship—with these unmistakable influences, Kingcrown manages to make Nova Atlantis sound modern.
There’s a wide variety of melodies on Nova Atlantis, which keeps things fresh and exciting. While Kingcrown sticks to the basics of heavy metal instrumentation, they occasionally reach to less conventional sounds. The title track makes use of a mandolin or ukulele accompanied by orchestral strings, and it ends up being my favorite verse on Nova Atlantis. Bob Seliba and Ced Legger mix up their guitar styles throughout, so that on the ballad “A Long Way to Valhalla” they play with a soft harp-like plucking, and then on “Souls of Travelers” they kick up the speed with thrash-like riffing. From song to song you’re likely to find something surprising, such as the call and response between vocalist and lead guitars on “Utopia Metropolis.” This variety is a good thing because the musical compositions and guitar riffs can come off as generic.
When I think back on ‘80s metal, I recall the memorable hooks and catchy choruses of songs like Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” or King Diamond’s “Abigail,” and Kingcrown emulates those qualities to varying degrees of success. The interplay of Seliba and Legger’s dual guitars with Sebastian Chabon’s bass on “Real or Fantasy” represents one of the best hooks on Nova Atlantis. While I never sang along with the chorus, I found myself humming to it long after the album was over, Amore’s soaring vocals earning additional airtime in my head. But “Guardian Angels,” immediately following, has a much blander composition that fails to stick. At 49 minutes, Nova Atlantis could find improvement in trimming bloat such as this. While not all choruses land, most songs have enough of an imprinting quality to earn space in my brain rent-free.
Digesting Nova Atlantis proved to be an enlightening experience in its throwback charm. At AMG we pride ourselves on not liking things, and I tried. I really did. But Joe Amore’s adherence to the carefree ‘80s vibe broke through my defenses and won me over. Nova Atlantis is certainly not a perfect record, but Kingcrown’s musicianship and their occasional creative flourishes more than make up for any flaws in their songwriting. While I wish Kingcrown had used more of the tonal switch-ups that pulled away from the traditional heavy metal experience, I also hope that Joe and co. can keep this act running for a couple more joyous decades.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 192 kbps mp3
Label: Rockshots Records
Websites: kingcrownmgtm.wixsite.com | kingcrownofficial.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: November 22, 2024
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