Following the release of their debut LP ‘All The Rats’ in 2023 and their European tour together with ‘Dog Eat Dog’, ‘Kings Never Die’ began work on their follow-up album. After drummer Danny Schuler left to return to ‘Bioharzard’, Dan Nastasi asked his long-time friend John ‘Booge’ Milnes (Mucky Pup) to help with the recordings.
Nastasi says, ‘The writing and recording process has been very different for us from the first EPs to “All The Rats” to now. And this album was no different. We basically had 10-15 new songs in the works. After we got home from tour at the end of November, we decided it was best to start working on a new album right away. I basically locked myself in my home studio for 4 weeks and got into the writing process, writing new songs and working on ideas we already had. After that me, Evan and John Milnes rehearsed with the rhythm section for 4 weeks and then immediately went to Shore Fire Studios in Long Branch NJ to start recording. 3 days later we headed to PA to Rock Hard Studios and finished the rest of the guitars and vocals. We drove back to NJ and mixed the album.’
The result is „The Life & Times“. And although it is not a concept album, the album is exactly what the title suggests. Side A, the life side, with the title track ‘The Life & Times’ and other songs based on personal stories. Side B, the time side, really reflects on the times we live in and takes a good look at the youth or younger generations and the struggles they may face in the future.
Nastasi said. „One thing I've learnt from working with Danny Schuler is that every word you write or every lyric in a song has to have a meaning to you or something that people can relate to. I feel like it really helped me tell a story through the lyrics that I wrote on our last album, but especially on „The Life & Times.“
Arguably the most important songs on ‘Life & Times’ are without a doubt ‘Bigger They Come, Harder They Fall’, which was originally intended for the previous album. The title track and ‘Empathy’ are also anthem-like tracks with catchy vocals and bounce. ‘Underdog’ was written by Nastasi as a thank you to his late father for his life experiences and in recognition of the drive and ambition he instilled in him.
„Most people think that this album is a return to our original hardcore and punk rock style“, says the band, and it's obvious that vocally they have returned to a two-singer style, with Gadino and Nastasi sharing vocals.
KINGS NEVER DIE is 100% authentic and it's obvious that the music comes from the heart, both lyrically and emotionally. ‘The Life & Times’ is clearly the band's greatest achievement to date.
TRACK LISTING
01 The Life & Times
02 Bigger They Come, Harder They Fall
03 Never Let Go
04 Empathy
05 Can I Get A Witness
06 Underdog
07 Kill The Cowards
08 War & Youth
09 The Rights
10 Slow Crawl
11 If God Is Dead