Queen Kong E.p, The Leech

Posted on 30th Sep 05 by Contributor | 0

Artist: Queen Kong
Author: Aisling O' Leary

Queen Kong are a three"piece electronic" alternative band that hail from Cork
and London" who boldly proclaim that they will "make you regret your entire
life" with the release of their audacious EP "The Leech".

On "The Leech"" Queen Kong amalgamate ambient sounds" samples" drumbeats"
industrial"esque energetic guitars" and eloquently haunting harmonies.

The EP opens with an incisive sound that rushes towards the ears" easing you in
with a chilled vibe" similar to "Lamb" or "Hood"" before passionate vocals take
you into a darker world. The opening track is amiable" the splashes of emotive
feminine vocals charge it with an admonishing tone" with the harmonies giving
it its" energy.

The EP then gets darker" and eccentric with "David Bowie". On this track" the
Casio drum machine is turned all the way up to 11" laced with menacing guitar
riffs" and eerie fantastical paranoid lyrics" bringing you deeper into Queen
Kong"s lair. The vocals here are impressively strong" and the harmonies give a
creepy edge to the track.

Death threat is by far my favourite track on the EP" here the EP is at it"s
darkest. There is an industrial based sound" pistons are firing" drums are
pounding in an Army of Me" "Bjork" style" with the vocals here reminiscent of Liz Fraser "of Massive Attack and Cocteau Twins fame" softly mysterious" and
ominous. Here the melange of sounds works well" with the layering producing a
foreboding atmosphere altogether" scary" spooky" and salaciously good.

The EP ends on so brand new" which is more pop based" radio friendly and
instrumentally austere then the rest of the CD. With the guitars taking a bit
of a rest" vocals" samples and the Casio are brought to the fore accompanied by
interesting samples. The harmonies are driving this track once again" in a
consistently soaring breezy tone" swaying over the drumbeats with a summery
sound.

With The Leech"" you definitely get more than what is on a normal EP" in a stylishly designed format not only are there the four tracks listed" but if you
like your extras" pop the disc into your computer and one unearths a collection
of unusual videos and tracks otherwise inaccessible" entering the dark
fantastical world of Queen Kong. The videos are interesting and are
reminiscent of some earlier "nine inch nails" stuff" yet at times go a bit far"
with "shock imagery" for the sake of it. She"s a bleeder" is an animal track"
full of energy" and heavier than the four main tracks" it would not work as
part of the EP but it is a great bonus. The extra amount of tracks is a little
overwhelming" and I "regret" to say that it is bit more a case of quantity then
quality" but there are a few nuggets to be found.

If you like Bjork" Cocteau Twins" Skindive" Hood" Nine Inch Nails" Lacuna coil"
or Snake River Conspiracy" check these guys out" they"re playing Bodkins on the
15th of October.

RATING: 4/5 Interesting" diverse" creative" good production" but the lyrics are
at times lacking that energetic kick that the drum machine and vocals deliver
throughout.

A good EP" good in content and also in value for money