Review / 200 Words Or Less
Feral King
Self Titled

Last Anthem (2012) Jon E.

Feral King – Self Titled cover artwork
Feral King – Self Titled — Last Anthem, 2012

Feral Kings' self-titled EP comes from a couple of guys that know how to do what they're doing and do it pretty damn well, and it is not necessarily anything new. If you're familiar with the band members’ previous efforts what they do on this record should come as little shock. Containing members of Spitfire and The Takeover (among others), the band plays a style of Deadguy-influenced noisecore without any pretense. 

Within the first few seconds any fan worth their salt will known what they're in for: screeching riffs and vocals coupled with pounding drums. While most of the well known bands currently running this style try extra hard to be artsy and self-obsessed, Feral King would rather not bother. It is all unfiltered rage in which the noise drenches the listener each step of the way to make the anger palpable. 

This EP lasts about 8 minutes, which is all the band needs to make an impression. If you miss Botch but not the bullshit posturing of newer bands with twice the cuteness and half their skill, you would do well for yourself to seek this out. These are experienced guys putting together something that is comfortably familiar without being comfortably stale.

7.5 / 10Jon E. • May 20, 2013

Feral King – Self Titled cover artwork
Feral King – Self Titled — Last Anthem, 2012

Related news

Feral King and Lonely Ghost Parade to release split

Posted in Records on December 14, 2012

Recently-posted album reviews

The Devil Wears Prada

Flowers
Solid State (2025)

Twenty years into the grind and The Devil Wears Prada haven’t lost their edge. However, in recent years, it’s a bit more refined and less jagged than their earlier release. The band’s latest release, Flowers, feels like their sharpest, most well-oiled bloom yet. From the opening track “That Same Place” to the closing “My Paradise”, this record is a reckoning. … Read more

DFMK

Playa Nuclear
Alternative Tentacles (2025)

DFMK have been playing since 2009, but Playa Nuclear is just their second full-length. It kicks off with exactly what I expect of the band in "Mi Rutina" -- a driving punk song with lots of high energy, guitar-driven bridges; Mr. Cap on vocals and doing near-splits between songs; and a general melodic flow that balances nervous energy with a … Read more

Action/Adventure

Ever After
Pure Noise (2025)

Chicago’s Action/Adventure have been grinding the pop-punk trenches since 2014. They have always played pop-punk like it still has something to prove because for them, it does. They went viral in 2020 on TikTok with their song “Barricades” by calling out the exact thing no one in the scene wanted to say out loud. The genre is full of white … Read more