Kernuyck
Living in Cornwall, I’ve heard the name Kernuyck bounded around a fair bit but never really had the chance to hear their tracks until recently. Describing their music simply as Metal, these guys are gathering quite a following around the country, renowned for putting on awesome live shows and producing downright solid music – I figured it was about time to check their album Kaos out for myself!
Opening with Devastation, you’re immediately thrust into a melee of sound effects and roars, all building into some seriously heavy riffs underpinned by rolling drums. As the track comes into being though nothing can have prepared you for what you’re about to hear, speedy riffs and a pounding double bass take the lead before you’re ordered to ‘get ready for the devastation’….here we go! Kicking into an almost funky riff, the drums adopt a simpler beat which carries the track on, the vocals spitting over the top of the music to keep you interested and paying attention, before once again reverting back into the rolling section. This alternation between the simple and rolling creates a track which is not only heavy, but funky, melodic and engaging. Throwing an incredible solo into the mix just to make sure they’ve proven their point, after this track you’re left with no doubt that what this is is something you’ve been waiting for, looking for, something you needed to hear – and this is only the first track!
Cursed follows on, opening sounding almost Middle Eastern at first suggesting the build up is happening – then in comes the riff. Continuing on the Middle Eastern theme at first, the riff soon builds into a pounding mix of guitars, rolling drums and raw vocals, before once again slowing everything down. The cleaned up melodic section which moves into even heavier vocals and bass heavy riffs give this track a real contrast, something which will confuse you at first before you’re pulled into acceptance, testament to the bands ability. Another epic solo is thrown in for consideration here, these guys can seriously play! As the track fades and Stones kicks in, another style is shown off, a funky almost Southern Rock edge takes over and you feel yourself moving along with the beat which is laid down. Breaking everything down to a faded guitar line behind bass, vocals and a simple drum beat, this track seems almost light at first after Cursed, but the catchy chorus soon makes up for that and you find yourself once again nodding along. What’s really striking about this track (as well as the others so far) is the ferociousness of the break downs these guys throw into the mix, they manage to create an absolutely massive sound – and there’s only three of them.
Zombie is another return to the softer guitar intro, building into the track with acoustic guitars over a simple yet effective bass and drum line before bringing in soaring clean vocals which grab your mind and bring back memories of times gone by. Kicking into an energetic chorus laden with riffs and pounding drums under layered vocals once again you’re left in awe at what these guys are producing, the music is seriously technically advanced! Finishing the track by breaking the elements of the band down and kicking into a final run through of the chorus, this track is one which will give you shivers down your spine and make you question why you’re only just hearing them! Suckerpunch continues this theme, opening with a round of applause and a boxing announcer, the band launch a full frontal assault on your ear drums and force you out of the day dream the last track put you in, it’s a bit of a rude awakening after the calming effect! Pumping riffs and pounding drums underpin raw and edgy vocals, this is another track which on the live scene is sure to get crowds moving along with the band.
Element once again soothes the soul after the assault of the previous track initially before kicking in once again with those awesome distorted bass and guitar lines. Sounding almost akin to Fear Factory crossed with Disturbed at times, this track hints far more towards industrial style instrumentation, the guitars roving around over the drums whilst the vocals take on the lead of the track. Relatively simple compared to some of the previous tracks, this is pure downright dirty metal (of what ever variety you want to put it in) and it’s good to hear! Still riding high, Redemption continues the bass heavy theme of the music and opens with a soft lead line over a heavy bass line and building drums before kicking into the same, but amplified! Adding synth effects in the background to the track, this track sounds even bigger than the ones before. Keeping the bass prominent throughout, this track sounds dark and ominous, like there’s something more to come. Launching into the melodic and catchy chorus telling you to ‘bite the bullet until it breaks’, you’ll soon find yourself once again sitting back and just letting the music do the work. What I really liked here was how high the bass was kept in the mix, it’s testament to the bands ability to write tracks which celebrate every instrument they’re using.
The final two tracks on the album, Wrath and Deathtime, finish the album in style. Wrath opens punchy and raw from the outset, sounding almost disjointed in the way it’s performed it’s a stark contrast to the softer more melodic tracks on the album so far. The vocals once again adopt their spitting of the words whilst the chaos of the music continues behind everything. Listening to the track it’s incredible to hear everything which is going on yet it all works – there’s so many different levels all working together here. Final track Deathtime moves away from this chaos and once again opens melodic and soft – it’s a telling end to an album which has given so much since it began. As the track builds into being you’re reminded of the likes of Metallica, Machine Head, Pantera and pretty much every other massive metal band out there, the tone and style of the album is what you would expect from a band of a much bigger stature. Moving from soft section to roving guitar lines, to frantic sections and beyond you’re constantly transported from section to section by the bands ability to combine elements and make them work.
There’s also a secret track after Deathtime, but I’ll leave you to discover that one for yourself!
As I said at the beginning, I heard of Kernuyck quite a while ago, but never got around to hearing their stuff for full. Their album Kaos is an album which I will not only be getting a copy of, but getting several people I know a copy of so they too can hear it. This isn’t just metal by any means, this is music which will lift you to a new level, make you question everything you’ve ever heard and set a new benchmark for success. I for one wish these guys nothing but the best for the future and am sure that if they continue writing tracks like this album, they’re going to achieve it! Now….just to work out how to pronounce the name properly!
To find out more about Kernuyck and to hear their album, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Opening with Devastation, you’re immediately thrust into a melee of sound effects and roars, all building into some seriously heavy riffs underpinned by rolling drums. As the track comes into being though nothing can have prepared you for what you’re about to hear, speedy riffs and a pounding double bass take the lead before you’re ordered to ‘get ready for the devastation’….here we go! Kicking into an almost funky riff, the drums adopt a simpler beat which carries the track on, the vocals spitting over the top of the music to keep you interested and paying attention, before once again reverting back into the rolling section. This alternation between the simple and rolling creates a track which is not only heavy, but funky, melodic and engaging. Throwing an incredible solo into the mix just to make sure they’ve proven their point, after this track you’re left with no doubt that what this is is something you’ve been waiting for, looking for, something you needed to hear – and this is only the first track!
Cursed follows on, opening sounding almost Middle Eastern at first suggesting the build up is happening – then in comes the riff. Continuing on the Middle Eastern theme at first, the riff soon builds into a pounding mix of guitars, rolling drums and raw vocals, before once again slowing everything down. The cleaned up melodic section which moves into even heavier vocals and bass heavy riffs give this track a real contrast, something which will confuse you at first before you’re pulled into acceptance, testament to the bands ability. Another epic solo is thrown in for consideration here, these guys can seriously play! As the track fades and Stones kicks in, another style is shown off, a funky almost Southern Rock edge takes over and you feel yourself moving along with the beat which is laid down. Breaking everything down to a faded guitar line behind bass, vocals and a simple drum beat, this track seems almost light at first after Cursed, but the catchy chorus soon makes up for that and you find yourself once again nodding along. What’s really striking about this track (as well as the others so far) is the ferociousness of the break downs these guys throw into the mix, they manage to create an absolutely massive sound – and there’s only three of them.
Zombie is another return to the softer guitar intro, building into the track with acoustic guitars over a simple yet effective bass and drum line before bringing in soaring clean vocals which grab your mind and bring back memories of times gone by. Kicking into an energetic chorus laden with riffs and pounding drums under layered vocals once again you’re left in awe at what these guys are producing, the music is seriously technically advanced! Finishing the track by breaking the elements of the band down and kicking into a final run through of the chorus, this track is one which will give you shivers down your spine and make you question why you’re only just hearing them! Suckerpunch continues this theme, opening with a round of applause and a boxing announcer, the band launch a full frontal assault on your ear drums and force you out of the day dream the last track put you in, it’s a bit of a rude awakening after the calming effect! Pumping riffs and pounding drums underpin raw and edgy vocals, this is another track which on the live scene is sure to get crowds moving along with the band.
Element once again soothes the soul after the assault of the previous track initially before kicking in once again with those awesome distorted bass and guitar lines. Sounding almost akin to Fear Factory crossed with Disturbed at times, this track hints far more towards industrial style instrumentation, the guitars roving around over the drums whilst the vocals take on the lead of the track. Relatively simple compared to some of the previous tracks, this is pure downright dirty metal (of what ever variety you want to put it in) and it’s good to hear! Still riding high, Redemption continues the bass heavy theme of the music and opens with a soft lead line over a heavy bass line and building drums before kicking into the same, but amplified! Adding synth effects in the background to the track, this track sounds even bigger than the ones before. Keeping the bass prominent throughout, this track sounds dark and ominous, like there’s something more to come. Launching into the melodic and catchy chorus telling you to ‘bite the bullet until it breaks’, you’ll soon find yourself once again sitting back and just letting the music do the work. What I really liked here was how high the bass was kept in the mix, it’s testament to the bands ability to write tracks which celebrate every instrument they’re using.
The final two tracks on the album, Wrath and Deathtime, finish the album in style. Wrath opens punchy and raw from the outset, sounding almost disjointed in the way it’s performed it’s a stark contrast to the softer more melodic tracks on the album so far. The vocals once again adopt their spitting of the words whilst the chaos of the music continues behind everything. Listening to the track it’s incredible to hear everything which is going on yet it all works – there’s so many different levels all working together here. Final track Deathtime moves away from this chaos and once again opens melodic and soft – it’s a telling end to an album which has given so much since it began. As the track builds into being you’re reminded of the likes of Metallica, Machine Head, Pantera and pretty much every other massive metal band out there, the tone and style of the album is what you would expect from a band of a much bigger stature. Moving from soft section to roving guitar lines, to frantic sections and beyond you’re constantly transported from section to section by the bands ability to combine elements and make them work.
There’s also a secret track after Deathtime, but I’ll leave you to discover that one for yourself!
As I said at the beginning, I heard of Kernuyck quite a while ago, but never got around to hearing their stuff for full. Their album Kaos is an album which I will not only be getting a copy of, but getting several people I know a copy of so they too can hear it. This isn’t just metal by any means, this is music which will lift you to a new level, make you question everything you’ve ever heard and set a new benchmark for success. I for one wish these guys nothing but the best for the future and am sure that if they continue writing tracks like this album, they’re going to achieve it! Now….just to work out how to pronounce the name properly!
To find out more about Kernuyck and to hear their album, check out their Facebook page HERE.