Kyng
(supporting Hellyeah)
August 5, 2017
The Masquerade (Heaven)
Atlanta, GA
It’s never a bad time when Kyng rolls into town for a show and this time around was a show in particular that I was very much anticipating. Due to just random adulting and schedule conflict bullshit I had yet to catch Kyng since the release of their stellar album Breathe in the Water. Kyng recently hopped on the road once again as direct support to Hellyeah and I couldn’t have been more psyched to see them making their way back to Atlanta.
The Masquerade’s Heaven room was at near capacity with Kyng took to the stage opening up with their somewhat signature opener Burn the Serum. This song never disappoints me and it’s such a perfect way to open a show. As the band tore through this song, I was nearly knocked back by what I was seeing. It’s hard to for me to believe that this is the same, green band that I saw many years back on their first tour opening for Black Stone Cherry. What I was seeing was a band that, thanks to relentless touring and never ending hard work, have turned into this entity that in my opinion is nearly impossible to follow.
Kyng’s 45-minute set was primarily made up of songs from the last two releases (Breathe in the Water and Burn the Serum) but it was the Breath in the Water material that absolutely floored me. Hearing the “The Dead” for the first time live was something I was so psyched to hear but it was “Closer to the End” that was the showstopper for me. This song is a thing of fucking beauty and is such a perfect example of the diversity and dynamic abilities of this trio. Singer/guitarist Eddie Veliz has perfected his role as one of the best vocalists in metal music today while the rhythm section of Tony Castaneda (bass) and Pepe Clarke (drums) lock shit down that is very reminiscent of the old school Geezer Butler/Bill Ward combo.
Closing out their massive set with “Breathe in the Water” and “Shoreline” was like a one/two punch to the fucking dome which left me throwing my fists in the air with approval and singing at the top of my lungs. Hell, I wasn’t the only one because as I surveyed the crowd, I was so happily surprised to see so many Kyng fans in the crowd singing along with the songs and sporting the shirts. My boys have definitely grown immensely and have become this band that leaves an everlasting mark on each and every person who is lucky enough to witness them perform live. Kyng is living up to their name without a doubt and if they continue to grow as they have, we’re going to need a bigger fucking throne.
Oh yeah, Hellyeah played as well.
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