Don’t you just love it when you listen to a band or a song for the first time and you’re hooked instantly? This is what happened when I first heard the music of Idol Kings. I was blown away! I’ll expand more on how their music makes me feel later. But first, a little background.
How did I find Idol Kings? Well, actually, I’m pretty sure THEY found ME! I noticed they were suddenly “following” me on Facebook. I was intrigued and figured I’d check them out. I’m so glad I did! I discovered one of the best mixes of rap and metalcore that I’ve heard. I knew right away that this band has something special, and I wanted to support them. When the band reached out to me and asked me to listen to their new album, B.I.N.G.E. (which stands for “Because I Never Get Enough”), and write something about it for my blog, I jumped at the chance. I was honored, actually.
Who are Idol Kings? Well, they’re a project formed by Rob Ellis, a Michigan rapper, and Dale Roberts, a metalcore vocalist from Wales in the UK. Rob and Dale met through social media. The band’s manager, TK, saw a reaction video on YouTube of Dale’s song “Vulnerable”, and they liked what they heard. The band reached out to Dale and asked him about joining Idol Kings. They sent him a couple demos, and he pretty much jumped right in. The band had a really good feeling that he’d be a perfect fit, and that’s exactly what happened.
Rob had formed a previous band called I Am Trouble. When that ended, he tried to launch a new version of it a few times, but nothing seemed to work. He went the solo route for a while, working on his own music. Then he started to really miss being on stage and working with others to create music. He came up with the idea of Idol Kings as a way to re-brand his sound and start something new. Prior to hooking up with Idol Kings, Dale had been in other bands in the UK, and also released “Vulnerable” as a solo artist.
The music of Idol Kings begins with finding a beat first, or using one they had created already. Rob and Dale each write their own lyrics. Usually one will write something, then pass it on to the other. Most of their songs are written, recorded, mixed, and mastered all on the same day they come up with the idea for the song. The plan is to bring in a guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer so they can create their music together in the same room.
The B.I.N.G.E. album was produced by Goodjohn Productions, 52Blu Productions, NERW Productions, and Dale Roberts. Christian O’neal is featured on “Dreamstate”, and also helped Dale with writing for the album. He is the vocalist in a band called Chemical Youth, and is a friend of Dale’s. They have worked together on music in the past. Alfonso Civile, the vocalist of Heartsick, is featured on “The Party” and also co-wrote the track. Rob and Dale both agree that he brought something really cool to the track that tied it all together.
B.I.N.G.E. is a fantastic album! The theme of the album centers around addiction and how it leads to anxiety and depression. It’s about the dark side of partying. So many people glorify drinking and drugs and going on a binge. Idol Kings wanted to tell the real story about it. The album title, B.I.N.G.E., stands for “Because I Never Get Enough”, which is fitting because of course addicts can never get enough of whatever they are addicted to. Rob and Dale share that they have both had their own addictions, and they wanted to tell their story to possibly help others who are dealing with their own demons and show them they are not alone in their fight. As Rob and Dale share, this album is really about them wearing their own hearts, addictions, and struggles on their sleeves. They hope listeners will take away their own meaning from the songs that will encourage them to overcome their own problems.
One of the best things about this album is the variety of the songs. No two tracks are the same. Some start out with the melodic, often dark, hip-hop style, while others dive right into the heavy metalcore style. The rhythm and flow of Rob’s rap verses are stellar. He is an amazing story-teller. Dale’s hard and clean vocals are equally tremendous. His singing evokes emotions in me that are hard to describe. It’s simply breathtaking. These two talented men have combined to make excellent music. It’s almost as if they’ve been doing this together for years. Honestly, I can easily go down the rabbit hole of this band’s music and listen to the whole album start to finish. In fact, I’ve done it many times while working on this review, and I will continue to do so!
This is the part where I would like to highlight some of the individual songs on the album. Now these are just my thoughts on the songs. Dale and Rob want their listeners to form their own interpretations and get their own meaning from Idol Kings music. I asked them if they had anything to add to what I came up with, and they did not, so I’m running with this.
The title track, “B.I.N.G.E.”, is about someone who has lost all hope and wishes the pain and suffering would end, even if dying is the only way out.
“(Make It Out) Alive” is about the realization that addiction is only feeding the cycle of depression.
“Dreamstate” is a slower track, and is about being stuck in a state of being numb to the pain, suffering, and depression.
“What’s Left Of Me” is about realizing that the demons have so much control that you’ve lost the person you used to be and all that remains is a shell of yourself.
“Going Under” is about the feeling of being trapped under the weight of addiction, depression, and other troubles and not being able to come to the surface. It’s a never-ending cycle.
“Running (Out Of Time)” is about trying to run away and hide from our demons.
The BONUS TRACK, which is only available on YouTube, is “Ghost”. This is a song about regret and guilt, and remembering someone who was lost and things that were never said.
In September, Dale Roberts will be coming to the United States to meet Rob Ellis and the rest of the Idol Kings crew for the first time, shoot a music video, and do some live shows with the band. This is sure to be an amazing time and one that the band and their fans will never forget! The list of shows includes:
Friday 9/13: The 9th Annual Crystal Lake Blood Bath at Trixie’s Bar in Hamtramck, Michigan
Saturday 9/21: Aaron Fultz’s Brutal Birthday Bash at Diesel in New Baltimore, Michigan
Saturday 10/5: Carnevil Metal Fest at Witches of New Salem Haunt in Dorr, Michigan
Will we let Dale leave? Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe we’ll adopt him and make him stay here in the States. Rob and I are already plotting. Stay tuned!
You can find Idol Kings on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and the band’s website. Make sure to check out their brand new song, “In My Head”, which drops August 17th.
B.I.N.G.E. Track Listing:
B.I.N.G.E.
(Make It Out) Alive
Dreamstate (feat. Christina O’neal)
The Party (feat. Alfonso Civile)
Missed Call (skit)
Breaking Point
What’s Left Of Me
Trapped In The Dark (skit)
Going Under
Running (Out Of Time)
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