City Kings’ STEEL ROCK N’ ROLL is a ten-track debut full-length from the Boston band, released free on March 30, 2023. The lineup is lean, with Kam Mohseni on bass and vocals, Kyle Hertz on lead guitar, and Jake Martin behind the drums. Its tags point to the right starting place, with Motörhead, metal, punk, hardcore punk and rock ’n’ roll all in the frame. Expect a direct power-trio attack rather than a heavily layered production, with the songs built around guitar, bass, drums and shouted vocals.
The band has been active since 2002, so calling this a debut refers to the first full-length rather than a new arrival. Tracks such as “Cherry,” “Punisher,” “WW3” and “Devil’s Deal” suggest a compact, street-level approach, while “1989” and “You Never Lose (You Almost Win)” add some character to the tracklist. Original member Dan Eagan receives writing credit on six songs. Mark Useless, Jacob Smyle and Leo Ulfeilder handled recording, mixing and mastering, and the release is available in lossless formats as well as MP3. Anyone after blunt Boston punk with metal weight and a rock ’n’ roll engine should give this one a spin, with vinyl also available for those who want it on the shelf.
