#3 - Kowloon Walled City – Gambling on the Richter Scale

Something about KWC struck a chord around various metal and rock outlets on the internet this year. Call them rock, call them metal (they will deny being a metal band, despite head-banger attendance at their shows), call them noisy or call them heavy, they are what they are. Kowloon have a great sound that they’ve carved out for themselves with their brand of sludgy “noise-rock”, drawing inspiration from traditional noise-rock bands like Neurosis, Godflesh and Unsane.

Gambling on the Richter Scale, as front man Scott Evans puts it, is an exercise in “pushing sound around”. Slow, down-tuned dual guitars with a heavy bass presence and screaming vocals makes for a very “thick” sounding record. Raw and half-polished production-wise, Gambling embodies the band’s “indie spirit” and reflects the band’s desire to directly connect with fans. This is the only album on our list with no double-bass or guitar solos (in the traditional sense), but as a through-and-through metal-head, I can tell you that you’ll find yourself wanting some more. It’s Loud.

To learn more about these guys, check out the interview we did earlier this year or the Hard Rock Chick’s multi-part live show review. Gambling on the Richter Scale is available in digital format for free or for purchase on vinyl via the band’s webpage.

Only two more albums left in our list! Visit tomorrow to see the band in our #2 spot that several of you recommended!