Track listing: Did Not Ask You to Invite me In, Cradle of Satan, Come on Over, So It Goes, When All Is Gone, King of Skulls, Satan On The Dancefloor, Fuck You Olord, When the fat Lady Sings, Children of the grave
Satan on the Dancefloor is the latest release by Norwegian punk project King of Skulls. Whereas the region is notorious for its dark, death, satan-leaning speed metal, King of Skulls take on the Prince of Darkness with a more light-hearted punk approach.
The album kicks off with an ominous track, "I Did Not Ask You To Invite Me In." Leaning a bit toward a Sabbath/Danzig vibe, the song sets up the listener for a run of dark metal. So when the funky bass & keyboard groove of "Cradle of Satan" kicks in, it's a bit of a surprise. There's actually some fun to be had in this record!
Released on August 1, 2023, Satan on the Dancefloor gives a bit of an insider look into the artist's record label that carries its own name: King of Skulls Records. Owners Bjørn Are Rognlid and Kjell Ivar Lund embrace artists who separate themselves from the constant fray that is the music industry today. They sign artists who make a unique mark in their markets. So it makes plenty of sense that their own artistic effort is itself something truly unlike anything else.
"So It Goes" is a bit of a club-scene punk-dance track. Is it emo? Maybe. Metal? Not so much. But it's got a melodic chorus, frenetic double-bass passages, and an overall sound that dips into Industrial, Dance, and Emotronic without being any of them through and through.
By album's end we're greeted with familiar sound--an homage to Black Sabbath--covering the legendary banger "Children of the Grave." It's the got punch of the original with stepped-up production value and an undeniable intensity. I'd like to think that Ozzy would give it his stamp of approval.
King of Skulls aren't all their song titles and evil imagery convey. Again, there's a level of fun to this album that I wasn't prepared for. Lund & Rognlid put their passion on display. You feel their intensity and honesty throughout the album. It may or may not become a favorite of yours, but neither would be due to a lack of artistic energy being infused into each song. Keep up with all things King of Skulls at kingofskulls.no.