Kingdom of Giants Expand Upon Their Sound With ‘Bleeding Star’ EP

California-based metalcore gents Kingdom of Giants have returned with a six-song EP titled ‘Bleeding Star’. This marks their first release since 2020’s ‘Passenger’. This EP dives into a lot of the sound that came before with the album, and further explores the aesthetic and vibes they’ve curated for themselves on this release.

The EP opens with the second single “Asphalt” and starts off with a bang. It gives off a lot of the same vibes as ‘Passenger’ and makes it feel like these guys haven’t lost a step. This marks their first song since bassist and vocalist Jonny Reeves has returned to the band, and it feels that way as he delivers a dominating chorus. The Blade Runner element to this track feels very present and it won’t be the last time that’s felt on this release. The breakdown here is probably my favorite on the whole EP, it’s just so much fun and I can see this going over well live (ideally as an opening song). We continue on with the first non-single, with “Scorpion”. We continue the vibes they’ve set for themselves and it feels like we’re in Tron with a track like this. The drums stand out quite nicely here is what I’ve noticed, from drummer Truman Berlin. Jonny also sounds great here especially, during the chorus mostly. And it contains a solid breakdown to accompany a song like this, it’s appropriate really. We continue on with the third single from the record with a more traditionally metal sound in comparison, with “Bloodworm”. I’ve said it before, but I just love how they’ve adopted this vibe for themselves that makes these songs sound futuristic and immediately set the atmosphere of each track. I appreciate this one feels the most heavy out of anything on here, and I can see it going over well on tour. 

We’re onto the second half of the EP, starting with “Smoke”. The futuristic vibe continues on strong, and it also really gives off a lot of the elements that Bad Omens had on their most recent release. When we get to the breakdown here also, it reminds me of how Northlane goes about their songs and how much attention to each element is paid to. We’re then followed up with the very first single from this release, with last year’s “Wasted Space”. This one marks the temporary period where Jonny was out of the band, so main vocalist Dana Willax takes over singing as well as his usual screams. I will say, he makes for a dependable vocalist for this track and still makes for a solid song. This was one I was colder on when it released, but it has since grown on me a bit. I also just love how all the little elements in the background here remind me of the score of something like Stranger Things. We end this release with what I think is one of the stronger tracks, with “Landslide”. It immediately gives off Dayseeker vibes, which is fitting as they’re about to go on tour with them. The synth has been very present on this whole release, but it really shines here and adds to the enjoyment of a track like this. It contains a very solid chorus, and a decent breakdown too to end things off with so no complaints when it comes to that. 

So all in all, ‘Bleeding Star’ by Kingdom of Giants is a solid addition to this band’s ever-growing discography. It adds more to their already established sound and continues to set them apart from their peers in the metalcore scene. I think it sets the stage for what will possibly be a worthy follow-up record to ‘Passenger’ and furthers their sound even more to help make them a more established name in the scene.