KK’s Priest – Sermons Of The Sinner

Before I start my review of KK’s Priest debut album Sermons Of The Sinner, here’s my view of the current scenario. “KK Downing left Judas Priest, they carry on with Ritchie Faulkner and KK forms a new band with Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens on lead vocals, also an ex Judas Priest member so we have two great heavy metal bands which suits me just fine!”

Recently released via EX 1 Records KK has created a fantastic full on heavy metal album to say the least as all ten tracks completely blew me away. It all kicks off with ‘Incarnation’, a brief spoken word piece befitting what’s about to be unleashed.

Strap yourselves in for a rollercoaster ride courtesy of ‘Hellfire Thunderbolt’ as whammy bar frenzy, a buzzsaw like opening riff, ear rattling snare drums and helium screams from Ripper shows we are in for something special. Cheesy lyrics are a revelation as sometimes you have to just headbang with a fist in the air!

The album title track is rip roaring thrash metal at its most raging potency. Ripper pitches high enough to scare not just your dog but those within a mile radius of his banshee delivery. A facemelting midsection heads towards full blown twin guitars outro.

‘Sacerdote Y Diablo’ has a main riff that embeds itself into your brain and stays there. It’s a fist clenching slab of power metal that surges along on a swathe of earworm riffing and fretboard burning solos and those kick drums return once more to batter you senseless.

‘Raise Your Fists’ is a call to arms chest beater as vociferous verses lead to epic choruses that beat loud and proud to unite metal fans everywhere. A chugged midsection and laid back guitar solo add fuel to the fire as “Whoa of oh’s” are belted out with aplomb.

‘Brothers Of The Road’ is an anthem of being on the road touring featuring choruses of “We’re brothers of the road and we rock, rock. We’re burning up the freeway we never stop” and twin melodic leads midway are sumptuous.

‘Metal Through And Through’ is eight minutes of a superhuman lead vocals as the song lives up to its title from the saddle up and ride lyrics as it shifts back and forth on an intense chug and a full on metal meltdown peppered with wild guitar solos.

‘Wild And Free’ pulls at the reins with a vocal intro of “We’re rule breakers, hellraisers” as it heads straight into a high octane heavy metal headbanger and heads up into the stratosphere with more fretboard ferocity.

‘Hail For The Priest’ is by far my favourite track here as it’s a celebration of what heavy metal is all about. A slow burning vocal intro kicks into full on pit opening riffing, melodic thrash parts, snare and kick drum ballistics pinned down by bass guitar brutality and a spotlight stealing lead vocal.

A fitting climax to this monumental debut album comes from ‘Return Of The Sentinel’, a title for KK’s return maybe? It’s nine minutes of perfection. Riffs are jaw droppingly precise, Ripper wails with a myriad of emotions and when the twin leads kick in it’s heavy metal heaven and we get chance to get our breath back as it closes on an eerie spoken word outro and lilting acoustic guitar.

Purchase links to the album and band info are here :- https://www.kkspriest.com/ I https://www.facebook.com/KKsPriest I https://twitter.com/KKsPriest I https://www.instagram.com/kkspriest/https://amazon.co.uk/Sermons-Of-The-Sinner-KK’s-Priest/dp/B094RVZ2TS/?tag=plane09-21 Ihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdzzkiP4wwk

KK’s Priest band line up :-

KK Downing – Guitar.

A.J. Miles – Guitar.

Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens – Lead Vocals.

Tony Newton – Bass Guitar.

Sean Ekg – Drums.

Sermons Of The Sinner album track listing :-

Incarnation.

Hellfire Thunderbolt.

Sermons Of The Sinner.

Sacerdote Y Diablo.

Raise Your Fists.

Brothers Of The Road.

Metal Through And Through.

Wild And Free.

Hail For The Priest.

Return Of The Sentinel.