King Conquer

Deathcore went out the door the day Despised Icon called it quits in 2010, but the latest release from Florida's King Conquer reinstates confidence in the sub-genre. The politically driven 1776 is their second full-length, following 2010's America's Most Haunted. Filled with heavy breakdowns, intricate leads and fierce growls, 1776 is a surprisingly compelling listen right from the start with "A Day Late... And a Dollar Short," which features an immense groove base with dissonant guitar work and brutal vocals layered overtop. King Conquer have mastered the art of combining pounding beats with crushing riffs, as demonstrated exceptionally well on "Empires" and "Demoralized." Speedy, chugging breakdowns and intense drumming are abundant, but it's on "Tyranny" and "The Color Green" where they're most impressive. Closer "Novus Ordo Seclorum" features one hell of a blazing guitar solo that finishes the record off in a way that makes you want to listen to it all over again.