If soaring energy prices will keep you cold this autumn, the politically charged new single ‘Down Here’ by King Cujo can certainly inject some heat back into your day. Perhaps the catastrophic state of British politics isn’t benefiting your bank account but it has provided plenty of ammunition for the music scene.
Exploding back into recognition after sixteen years King Cujo are making a blazing return with the album ‘Lost Inside the Landfill’ to be released 10th February 2023. The first installment of this is ‘Down Here’ and none of the band members are slacking, despite their long break, in this tour-de-force of Alternative Rock.
Declared ‘Track of the Week’ on Planet Rock, ‘Down Here’ has reached No. 54 on iTunes and it’s not difficult to hear why; the power behind the track could probably climb its way up the charts through sheer force. It’s a sensory overload in the best way possible. The perfect way to drown out the world and descend ‘Down Here’ where the simmering rage of England is transmuted into impressive drums, pervasive guitar and gritty vocals.
Front-man guitarist Kevin Dawson and bassist Ben Keep maintain a catchy riff throughout which you’ll be humming for the rest of your day. This swells and fades alongside the other layers in the song creating a surprising yet delightful depth; the perfect compliment to the track's authority-combative lyrics. On the drums, Jamie Hook lives up to his name, hooking listeners with a profusion of symbol clashes and heavy percussion that contribute to the gritty energy of the sound.
The middle of the song sees the drums fade to a gentle backdrop, subtly yet pervasively sustaining the energising beat. This pared back section is dynamically surprising. Contrary to losing the energy of the track, it builds suspense to the breaking point; the musical equivalent of tiptoeing around in preparation for a surprise party. The guitar impresses with a solo before the drums announce their arrival for the song’s climax.
Impressive power fuels the conclusion of the song with its scream-out-loud, stamp-your-feet, (wake-up-the-neighbours) climax. The refrain ‘Down here’ reverberates around you; sung over the musical uproar with a delicious grit which contrasts its repetition by the smoother backing vocals. These slightly haunting iterations of the song's title are followed by, ‘sat with a devil who’s hungry for sin’, an anger-packed summation of the whole track and the context it emerged from. The viewer is plunged once more into the main riff before they are left to comprehend what can only be described as an immersive musical experience. Not a song for the faint hearted, it is impossible not to invest yourself entirely in the music; in its explosive layers, sore-throat-inducing vocals and resonant drums.
‘Down Here’ whips up a storm of seditious intent. Your throat may never forgive you but your ears will be forever grateful; this is a comeback you don’t want to miss.