Kings Ransome

KINGS RANSOME, “Rattle My Cage”

If the previous songs released by Greenville rockers Kings Ransome were the first part of their story, think of their new single, “Rattle My Cage,” as Kings Ransome Version 2.0. While their previous releases were chock full of classic hard-rock riffs and propulsive rhythms, “Rattle My Cage” has a more streamlined, polished sound, adding weight to the drums and a modern rock sheen to the guitars.

“If you check out our old stuff, we’re very inspired by classic rock, and that’s not necessarily by choice,” says singer Trey Duncan. “But I think we’re finally evolving past our inspiration and trying to find a more modern sound.”

But maturity isn’t the only reason that “Rattle My Cage” sounds so much sleeker than the band’s previous releases. “I think part of it is better production value,” Duncan says. “And I really like the new studio we’re working with. It’s in Dawsonville, Georgia, it’s called Ledbelly Sound Studio, and the engineer was Matt Washburn.”

Rather than rushing through the process as they had done in the past, Duncan says the band took their time with the new single. “We went in this time and spent eight hours on the song,” he says. “This is going to be a springboard to our next project, so let’s make sure we really get it right.” - Greenville Journal

/ How has the whole Covid situation affected your life as musicians?
/ Kings Ransome:
Covid was very hard on our band. We started in 2019 and were really picking up steam headed into 2020. In February we released our new EP and played a show with Michael Angelo Batio, then by March all of the shows we had lined up for the rest of the spring and summer were cancelled, including our first festival appearance! It just felt like Covid was a hard reset, and it’s taken a lot of mental toughness and grit to push through. Not calling it quits in 2020 is as big of a success as we could have hoped for.

/ Has one of you guys ever been arrested? (yeah. I admit it. I’m curious. This is Rock’n’Roll.)
/ Kings Ransome:
We haven’t been arrested, but we have had our run in with the law. We used to have this neighbor (“used to” being the operative phrase) that would call the cops on us for rehearsing too loudly even though we were outside of city limits and had no noise ordinance to adhere to. It’s also not like we were playing at 3 o’clock in the morning. We were always done by 9PM. Anyways, each time they would show up, tell us we kicked ass, and then wish us goodnight…. We found out about 2 months after the last incident that she sold her house because she couldn’t take it anymore. Chalk that up to Kings Ransome 1, Karens 0.

/ What are your music projects at the moment? What’s planned for the rest of 2021?
/ Kings Ransome:
We’ve got a big year of releases planned for 2021! We were finally able to hit the studio and record our fan favorite song “Rattle My Cage” (which released on February 26th), and we’ve got many more coming down the pipeline after that. New music, new videos, and new merch are all coming at you in 2021, so hit us up on Facebook and Instagram to make sure you don’t miss any of the hard rocking goodness coming out of Greenville, South Carolina this year! - KMS Reviews

Brace yourselves for a rock track that will make you drool for, Gas Maskers! Kings Ransome has a solid vibe that is uniquely concocted. Their new release titled, “Solo” is a strong rock soundscape with vocals that are on point and pop-esque. We love how the song continues to build on the foundation and grows into a monster of a beast! BUT our favorite part you ask? The guitar solo speaks volumes. It’s clean, tricky, and perfect and [sic] every way possible. The track holds so much weight, you don’t even know it lingers on for almost five minutes. Now THAT’S some musicality! Listen below, Gas Maskers. - Gas Mask Magazine

"Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Tales’, the new release of Kings Ransome fills your heart with rockin’ melancholy.

The track starts with a crystalline guitar backing and those passionate vocals, slowly emerging as an hard hitting rock track that manages to both deliver the message and rock the dust off your speakers. The track takes its time, it’s a slow ballad with a full guitar backing theme and a slow rock groove, but the impact of those vocals is plain awesome. Those feel somewhat desperate, telling the story about heartbreak in an intense way while being backed by the music which seems constantly ‘in motion’.

With several effect tracks added, plus those oh-so-sweet guitar solos happening, the track feels like every thought that’s wandering in your mind just comes crashing down on you. Ever felt heartbroken in a way it feels like it is hurting physically? This track, guys, pictures the feel perfectly. The atmosphere is part mystical, part lost, part unknown, desperate, uplifting yet crueling hurting… I can hear and feel every emotion in “Solo”. This track is a shining example of why music is awesome." - KMS Reviews

Kings Ransome’s manifesto for their music is: “To bring back the long-lost spirit of a genre that has become watered down by the mainstream… deliver a lively show with vibrant music that is light on fluff, heavy on grit, and sure to catch your ear.” That’s a tall order. But with ‘All Tied Up’, we get a sense that they are deadly serious about that, and there shouldn’t be anyone in the way. With vibes and style that is reminiscent of bands like Mr. Big, Steve Vai, and Skid Row, the fresh ecstasy comes easily and in ample flows. The exciting live band comes fully equipped with talents, Porter Dowdy, Trey Duncan, Davis Huggins, Matt Malphrus, and Leo Santana. Rock on. - comeherefloyd