KINGDOM - 9 LIVES (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania )
Kingdom formed in summer of 2006 with the intent of making pissed off and socially relevant vegan straight edge hardcore. In a scene where bands trade their ideals for merch sales and kids trade their rage for a pair of sneaks, Kingdom strives to maintain the ideas and ethics that lay- however buried- at the foundation of this movement. A few months after forming, they released a 6 song demo/EP on Goodbye Blue Skies records, followed by a 4 song 7" on New Age Records in spring of 2008. Before signing to Eulogy Recordings, Kingdom did 6 US tours (self booked) in their vegetable oil powered bus, and one European tour. "The Rage That Guides" is Kingdom's first full length, featuring 10 songs drawing influence from bands like Buried Alive, Warzone, and Hatebreed, and taking outside inspiration from Nile to Led Zeppelin. "The Rage That Guides" is diverse but still uncompromisingly hardcore. Lyrically taking on issues both political and personal, this record contrasts feelings of hopelessness, suffering, and despair with those of empowerment, hope, and rage. "Real Crime" addresses urban poverty and police violence, "Pythoness" takes on societal double standards and sexual politics, "33/45" is a punk rock anthem for those who choose to live forever out of step. Seething and spiteful, "The Rage That Guides" is a dose of broken glass for a spoon-fed scene.
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