The Ugly Kings share a music video for the new single »The Devil Comes With A Smile«
Photo by Tyler Kuulberg
Australian alternative rock band The Ugly Kings share a music video for the new single »The Devil Comes With A Smile« from their sophomore full-length album, »Strange, Strange Times«, set to release on August 13th, 2021 via Napalm Records.
Message behind the song: “Beware of false promises and easy answers. The Devil Comes With A Smile is about powerful people that exploit our weaknesses and manipulate us with their charm; twisting the world in their own image.”
Filmed by Peter Divers at the iconic ‘Scrap Museum’ room at Bakehouse Studios in Melbourne, Australia.
Art direction, production and editing by Russell Clark.
Produced by The Ugly Kings and Julian Schweitzer.
Recorded and engineered by Julian Schweitzer.
Recorded at Newmarket Studios in Melbourne, Australia.
Mixed by Julian Schweitzer at Labracadabra Studios in Melbourne.
Mastered by Joe Carra at Crystal Mastering in Melbourne.
Tracklist:
01. Strange, Strange Times
02. Technodrone
03. Do You Feel Like You’re Paranoid?
04. In The Shadows
05. Last Man Left Alive
06. Lawman
07. Electric Lady (My Kryptonite)
08. The Devil Comes With A Smile
09. Mr. Hyde
10. Another Fucking Day
From Napalm Records:
Hailing from the great down under but headed straight to the top, Melbourne, Australia based gritty alternative rockers The Ugly Kings are poised to turn heads with their bombastic sophomore full-length, »Strange, Strange Times«, out August 13, 2021 via Napalm Records. Equal parts darkened power blues and raw punk with a metallic rock edge, The Ugly Kings channel the flavor of groups like Queens Of The Stone Age and The White Stripes while preserving razor sharp, daringly introspective control with clever lyricism and addictive riffage. »Strange, Strange Times« punches from 0 to 60 at the start of its five-and-a-half minute introductory title track, »Strange, Strange Times«, before frontman Russell Clark brings the listener back down to earth with his ominous, Jim Morrison-esque croons of blissful ignorance amid relentless chaos.
The band’s revitalizing infusion of dark energy is immediately evident on tracks like radio-ready, gothic punk-laced head- bobber »Technodrone« and retro-inspired tripper »Do You Feel Like You’re Paranoid?« – both interwoven with warning lyrics relevant to the times. The post-punk revivalism spirit continues on tracks like the creeping, dynamic »In The Shadows« and seductive foot-stomper »Electric Lady (My Kryptonite)«, while the band goes on to flex their musical muscles on tracks like whiskey-soaked murder ballad »Lawman« and smoldering hard rocking standout »The Devil Comes With A Smile«. Listeners will get lost in tracks like the psychedelic, grooving »Last Man Left Alive« and equal parts proto-metal/horror punk »Mr. Hyde«, before commiserating with closing working man’s inspirational anthem »Another Fucking Day«. In a scene in which gimmick-free, angsty, inspired rock n’ roll is becoming increasingly difficult to come by, »Strange, Strange Times« is a breath of welcomed, yet strange, strange air.
The Ugly Kings are:
Russell Clark – Vocals
Christos Athanasias – Guitars
Nicolas Dumont – Bass
Joel Martin – Drums
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well