King Parrot – “Dead Set” [Album Review]

Prior to listening to Dead Set, I caught a few moments of footage of Aussie grinders King Parrot doing their thing and it looked like utter madness. Given that they count Down frontman Phil Anselmo amongst their fans, it’s a safe bet then that this isn’t going to get on mainstream rock radio.

Well, once you’ve got your head around Matt Young’s high-pitched vocal style, you’ll find yourself listening to some really awesome thrash/grind crossover mayhem. Unstoppably relentless from the get-go, Dead Set is a ferocious album to listen to with the punk sneer of “Like A Rat” sounding like, for want of a better description, Cancer Bats bastardizing the ’80s Bay Area thrash scene. Elsewhere Dead Set is just rammed full of stomping, grinding, raging thrash. None of that retro-thrash shit, this is just heads down, fuck-you thrashing insanity. Played at about 150mph, the likes of “Sick In The Head” and “Punisher” are grind/thrash neck-wreckers of the finest quality.

As with most of the bands who play this kind of stuff, King Parrot don’t take themselves too seriously, which makes the whole listening experience all that much more fun. The only thing that is missing from Dead Set is the fact that you don’t come away from listening to it with a bloody nose or a black eye. Still, there’s always the live show for that added bonus.

Track Listing:

01. Anthem Of The Advance Sinner
02. Need No Saviour
03. Hell Comes Your Way
04. Like A Rat
05. Tomorrow Turns To Blood
06. Home Is Where The Gutter Is
07. Sick In The Head
08. Punisher
09. Reject
10. Dead Set

Run Time: 34:39
Release Date: May 19, 2015

Check out the video for “Like A Rat” here