The Ugly Kings have been steadily carving their name into the Melbourne rock ’n’ roll scene since 2013 and they are now excited to take their dirty brand of power blues to the rest of the country with their vinyl mini album OF SINS.
The last year has seen The Ugly Kings steadily teasing fans and critics alike ahead of the release of Of Sins. 2014 saw the singles Control Freak and Wicked Witch Of Wonder released with the follow-ups Goodbye and Devil Heart this year.
Recorded at The Aviary in Collingwood (VIC) by Tom Glover, Of Sins is an eight track mini album that will be released in a relatively limited run of vinyl as well as digitally (through iTunes). The Ugly Kings were very specific about tracking these 28 minutes of power blues onto vinyl rather than any other medium. These self confessed audiophiles will have a selection of 130 black and 70 blue vinyls made up for their debut EP. Guitarist, Christos Athanasias explains the thought process behind the split. “We chose 130 for the iconic number 13 and 70 for the Seven Deadly Sins – reflecting the title of the album”.
The Ugly Kings teamed up with illustrator Rachel Davies to create an incredibly detailed selection of artworks that depict the stories and emotions behind Russell ‘Rusty’ Clark’s lyrics. Taking inspiration from the graphic novel universe and artists such as Frank Miller and Brian Bolland, Rachel Davies (who can be found on Instagram at @redleaf_design) has created designs that are the culmination of intimate discussions regarding the stories and the emotional content of the songs. The whole experience of the vinyl and artwork is an important ritual the band is excited about sharing with their fans and Of Sins will not disappoint.
In the two short years The Ugly Kings have been recording and performing they have racked up a considerable amount of notches in their belt; nominations for two Cherry Awards and national airplay on triple j and MMM just to touch on few. This is not surprising considering the unapologetic gritty sound that hits you in the face when you listen to this band play. The Ugly Kings have “captured local audiences with their electrifying barrage of thunderous riffs and soaring vocals” (Tonedeaf)
With influences ranging from The Doors, to Soundgarden, to Eric Clapton, to Black Sabbath; The Ugly Kings are a solid mix of different influences and backgrounds. Bass player, Nick, sums up their sharp and powerful sound well, “Someone once described us as Jack White – with balls and a beard”.
(In true drummer style, Ryan has a different outlook and sees the band as a fool proof pathway to “fame, fortune and models”).
OF SINS IS RELEASED FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER 2015
THE UGLY KINGS ‘OF SINS’ TOUR DATES NOVEMBER 2015:
Max Watts
supporting Electric Mary
Friday 20 November
Melbourne, Vic
Panacea Festival
20- 22 November 2015
Tatong, VIC
Cherry Bar
Of Sins Vinyl Launch
Saturday 28 November 2015
Melbourne, VIC
+ more dates to be announced….
‘Of Sins’ limited edition vinyl
‘Of Sins’ digital album
The Ugly Kings are:
Russell ‘Rusty’ Clark – Vocals | Christos Athanasias – Guitar | Nick Dumont – Bass | Ryan Scoble – Drums
