Windsor-based crunchy hard rockers Thy Kingdom Slum were less than two weeks away from the release of their debut EP, *A History of Dissent*. The five-song collection was officially released on February 17, 2018, at a release party at The Back Stage.
It was a stunning debut of crunchy, heavy rock that bordered on punk and metal, but never stayed too far into either one. Less moody and more to the point than similarly-sounding Drowning Pool, Thy Kingdom Slum were more proudly rocking in the vein of Korn or a less 'rappy' Disturbed or Limp Bizkit. Basically, it’s music that rocked the shit out of you.
For a debut effort, the sound was clean, clear and very pro. Hats off to Brett Humber at The Sound Foundry in Kingsville, who recorded and co-produced the EP with the band. It's always great when a band appreciates the low, bottom end with a big drum sound, which is exactly what *A History of Dissent* accomplished. Bassist Ray Solomon and drummer Brandon Gourley seemed to have more chemistry on record than bands like Alexisonfire had in their entire 16-year career – not bad for a little Windsor band that had been around for less than two years.
The EP opened with 'Reign Black Flags,' a crusty track with plenty of balls. Vocalist Michael Edwards gave enough growl for just the right amount of edge, but made everything easy to follow and understand – something that many metal screamers seemed to forget.
The rest of the tracks slowed down a little or changed the pace into something a bit more Korn-like, with '5even' standing out as a modern hard rock tune that felt like it had some Alice In Chains or Rollins Band undertones.
The guitar work from Trevor De Block and Chris Mayville was pretty solid throughout, with some pretty cool riffs, like the infectious rhythm in 'Presence of Mind.' Mayville's lead guitar shone during the solo in 'Not Your Enemy,' which actually had an Ace Frehley (KISS) tone to it.
Thy Kingdom Slum had a solid record with *A History of Dissent*, and they made an impressive debut that would please stubborn rock fans looking for something that kicked a little ass. If the EP was any indication, the live show at The Back Stage would be one of the highlights of 2018.
