Tyranny of the Clock Review

Tyranny of the Clock by KILRAVOCK is an uncompromising EP full of art rock, grunge energy, and fury. The tracks convey passion, using discordance and harmony to build sonic layers that immerse you into the narrative of each track. 

The first track, Who Killed Saint Monday was created solely by KILRAVOCK. Every aspect of the production and instrumentation feels personal, and that raw, honest edge gives it an even more heartfelt delivery as every element is straight from the soul. The track has a vehement anti-work message, introducing us to a core theme of the album. The message is explored through metaphor and enigmatic, poetic phrasing. These techniques allow KILRAVOCK to produce a track that succeeds sonically and delivers on the themes. However, the track's sound is not subtle.

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The timbre is heavy, bold, and dark. It uses guitar distortion to cut through the mix and provide a rich texture. The distortion is fuzzy and characterful, contrasting with the crispness of the vocals. It drowns them within the mix. This dynamic feels like a purposeful tonal decision that mirrors the themes of being tied down by work. It is almost like the guitar is the unwavering capitalist power and expectation of work, and we are hearing the vocal straining to break free from that.

Working Class Hero is a notable tonal exception. It has a more acoustic timbre and is more direct with its messaging, almost speaking directly to the listener. It explores the anger and powerlessness felt by the working classes about being in a system designed to push them down. The track seems to find solace in connection, as shown by the unified harmonies. It feels like the track is suggesting that by being together, they are harder to push around by bosses or the corporate machine. This theme harkens back to the power of unions, connecting the narrative and the sonic choices into one. It is so cool to see a piece cohesively connected from vision to execution. Check it out below.