ALBUM REVIEW: Absolute – Kublai Khan TX

Pure, raw machismo. That is the best way to describe the newly branded KUBLAI KHAN TX, and they are proud to describe themselves as no frills, no gimmicks hardcore. The band have built a career of writing the most simple and some of the most devastating hardcore on the planet, and after their last record Nomad, there was certainly a question of how long the band could keep it up. Sure, the last record had everything the band are known for, but there was a definite inkling that maybe the well was starting to run a bit dry. 

However, with Absolute, it is clear that whilst the ideas may still be the same, the injection of a lot of tangible anger cannot be understated in its ability to raise the bar. Armor of Goddamn kicks off the door off its hinges within the first 10 seconds, with pounding drums and thick chugs before the gravelly shouts of Matt Honeycutt ring out and bring that aforementioned rage to the forefront. Boomslang rocks up next and makes a clear swing for the fence post with raging grooves and a very real ‘I don’t give a fuck’ attitude. Absolute comfortably feels the most vital the Texans have ever been, and it would be a lie to say that it doesn’t imbue this record with a life affirming energy. 

There are, of course, arguments to be had about how simplistic, how unimaginative, or even just how basic KUBLAI KHAN TX are. But those people can be easily written off as fun hating individuals who likely also hate Rambo and The Terminator. There are no games to be had on Absolute, just teeth rattling heaviness combined with the energy of an exploding bomb. Self-Destruct is able to maintain this level of intensity even when the song rounds out with just bass and drums, forgoing the guitars entirely. Stripping things back hasn’t been working as well for bands like GIDEON on their song Bite Down, but here it is exactly what KUBLAI KHAN TX do best, and that is inciting sheer violence with as little effort as possible. 

There are moments of genuine creativity as well, with Matt Honeycutt offering some mildly interesting vocal hooks on The Truest Love before simply coming down on your head like an anvil. Cloth Ears also serves as a prime example of how dwelling on simplicity and age old traditions of fast, tight drumming and riffs laid on thicker than a northerners gravy can offer the best results around. The lack of double kick from drummer Isaac Lamb means that every song is an undeniable headbanger, and his work on utilising his cymbals more than anything else gives a nice bit of nuance to the music that is welcomed when the rest of the band are sticking to their meat and potatoes. 

There is a lot to enjoy on Absolute, and it is enjoyment in its rawest form. As the band are proud to announce when they play live, KUBLAI KHAN TX don’t mess around with gimmicks or fancy bollocks. They are simply here to lay out some of the most intimidating and macho hardcore on the scene, and do it with so much passion and energy that you can’t help but get on board with it. Yes, it’s not the most inventive, but the band still push the boat out by stripping back elements and forgoing other genre cliches to boil down their formula into only the essential elements. There is a lot to be said about how powerful KUBLAI KHAN TX still are after recycling ideas for essentially their whole career, and if you don’t like them, then they really don’t care. This is a record for the ones who know what they like, and like it done really bloody well. 

Rating: 8/10

Absolute is out now via Rise Records. 

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