For many album reviews, I have a pretty standard approach and structure – however that has gone out the window here. The main reason is that for the first time in 2024, an album has floored me. I pressed play in the car on the way to work and immediately felt like I wanted the road to turn into the video game Road Rash (younger folk – just search it on the internet!) It’s that good that as soon as I got to work I pre-ordered the vinyl.
Having garnished a reputation for an uncompromising and relentless sound, believe me when I say that this continues and even more crushing. Opening with quite a poignant question about what is your legacy and who is going to carry it forward, you are catapulted into a wall of down tuned, heavy chugs backed up by minimal but aggressive vocals that set the stage perfectly.
As you enter into ‘Darwinism’ you are instructed to “bang your fuckin heads”, chances are that they are still banging or rattling having been spin kicked off in the previous track.
Mixing those chugs with a heavy bass presence and breakdowns that made you go ooh, the sound is shatteringly good and so heavy, it makes others look like they play at it.
The album itself isn’t the longest, but it doesn’t need to be. The punch that is packed into this offering is unlike anything else and you feel the impact for hours afterward. Still wavering from the initial impact you will reach for the play button over and over again, one to check that your initial instinct was correct – yet somehow with each listen the album gets heavier, goes harder and sounds more crushing.
I like to try and pick a favourite out of the tracks and explain why, but again that isn’t going to happen here – they are all incredible. I will however make mention of Dave Peters and Jamey Jasta who make guest appearances on ‘Cannibal’ and ‘A Hopeless Fate’ respectively.
So in short, this album is as good as it gets and the best I have heard in the Heavy section this year and if you are into Hardcore or anything similar – you need this in your life. You can thank me after you have pre-ordered!!
Exhibition Of Prowess will be released Friday 20th September 2024 via Rise Records.
PRE-ORDER HERE
Review: Ed Ford
EXHIBITION OF PROWESS
Kublai Khan TX Track Listing:
The band will be touring extensively including Australia, North America and UK/EU in Winter 2025.
International Tour Dates:
Kublai Khan TX Tour Dates with
Sep 19 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
Sep 20 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
Sep 21 – Moon Township, PA – UPMC Events Center
Sep 22 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Special Events Center
Sep 24 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live Orlando
Sep 25 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
Sep 28 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
Sep 29 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom
Sep 30 – The Midland Theatre – Kansas City, MO
Oct 2 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore New Orleans
Oct 3 – Houston, TX – House Of Blues
Oct 4 – San Antonio, TX – Boeing Center at Tech Port
Oct 5 – Dallas, TX – Southside Ballroom
Oct 7 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
Oct 8 – Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl
Oct 10 – Anaheim, CA – House Of Blues
Oct 11 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
Oct 15 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
Oct 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
Oct 18 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
Oct 19 – Omaha, NE – Steelhouse Omaha
Oct 20 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore Minneapolis
Oct 22 – Chicago, IL – Radius
Oct 23 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit
Oct 24 – Cleveland, OH – The Agora
Oct 25 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
Oct 27 – New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom
Oct 28 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall
Oct 29 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia Oct 30 – Wallingford, CT – Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Apocalypse Fest
Nov 1 – Wilkes/Barre, PA – Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
UK/EU 2025 Headliner
Jan 17 – Tilburg, Netherlands – 013
Jan 18 – Hamburg, Germany – Bahnhof Pauli
Jan 19 – Berlin, Germany – Hole 44
Jan 20 – Wien, Austria – Flex
Jan 21 – Munich, Germany – Backstage
Jan 22 – Zurich, Switzerland – Dynamo
Jan 23 – Antwerp, Belgium – Kavka Zappa
Jan 24 – Köln, Germany – Essigfabrik
Jan 26 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute
Jan 27 – Glasgow, UK – QMU
Jan 28 – Dublin, Ireland – Academy
Jan 29 – Belfast, Northern Ireland – The Limelight
Jan 30 – Leeds, UK – Stylus
Jan 31 – Manchester, UK – New Century Hall
Feb 1 – London, UK – Electric Ballroom
Feb 2 – Bristol, UK – SWX
Feb 3 – Southampton, UK – Engine Rooms
ALBUM ‘EXHIBITION OF PROWESS’ OUT 20TH SEPTEMBER 2024 VIA RISE RECORDS PRE-ORDER HERE