Crowned King

Playing a healthy amalgamation of instruments while playing a spirited variety of genres can either succeed beautifully or fail miserably — and there’s a fine line between the two. On this, Crowned King’s first stab at the big time, the band succeeds, playing the rock-with-horns genre to the hilt by sounding more like Linkin Park than Less Than Jake. Being a seven-piece band, the sound on Break the Silence seems suitably full, while avoiding a dense or crowded sound that can easily befall a rock band attempting to incorporate more than a standard number of members. While at times they do venture in ska territory, most songs stick to a more modern rock feel, using the horn presence to accentuate the music and help build on the solid songwriting. With a strong promotional push behind them, it seems doubtless that Crowned King’s original but accessible sound will carry them on to strong commercial and artistic success.