EP REVIEW: Groundhog Day – Crown The King
A lot of us can agree that Groundhog Day is an excellent movie starring the incomparable Bill Murray. Hoping to capture some of that excellence are Irish-band CROWN THE KING, with their similarly titled brand new EP Groundhog Day – and what an EP it is. The five-piece have been credited as Ireland’s most exciting emerging pop-punk band and just listening to the first few seconds of this EP it’s clear to see why. These guys are incredible. Their songs sound so fresh but also have a hint of 00s nostalgia to them reminiscent of bands like TAKING BACK SUNDAY and JIMMY EAT WORLD.
CROWN THE KING’s began their journey when wrestling ring announcer Dan Gannon and guitarist Sean Hodson discovered a shared love for pop-punk and wasted absolutely no time in getting into writing their own material. Hodson recruited his friend and collaborator guitarist Alan Sheils and then bassist Eanna Brown and drummer Jamie Dawson to complete their line-up. However, this was back in 2019 and, although we try to forget, we all know there were not many live shows at that time. But CROWN THE KING didn’t let that hinder them. They started to release their music independently rather than wait out the pandemic and we should all be glad they did as their music deserves to be heard and appreciated as soon as possible.
The EP kicks off with Melissa and it is such an exciting song which let’s you know these guys are really onto something good. The instrumentation creates that really high-octane punk feel and the headbanging chorus is just so effective here. The vocals really soar toward the outro and everything comes together making this track huge. It really is a treat.
Next up is Running on Empty. This one is about being nostalgic about life and having insecurities – all that typical pop-punk stuff that we all love to hear regardless of whether it’s a cliché or not. It’s a great song with an anthemic feel, and you can shout along the words of the chorus easily. It’s relatable and hits close to home.
Title track Groundhog Day follows and this track is where the band convince you that they are the next big thing if they haven’t already. Nothing is out of place here. The song-writing is clever and really shows off the talent on display here. It’s heavy and thick but full of venom. The lyrics are powerful and guttural at times – pitiful and full of pain yet angry at the same time. It’s incredible how they manage to display so many emotions through this track. It hits you hard and doesn’t let go until the sonic outro. This track is something special.
The EP closes on I Miss You (But I Don’t Feel Bad). The instrumentation on this one is really great as it really drives the song forward. The guitarists clearly know what they’re doing and provide that signature pop-punk feel. The percussion is also just as good, especially after the breakdown, where Dawson shows just how much of a tight and professional drummer he is.
As if Ireland didn’t already have enough incredible bands to their name, CROWN THE KING earn their place among them with this amazing EP. It’s just so exciting having live shows back as catching these guys live is going to be insane. The scene has really gained a blinding asset with these guys.
Rating: 8/10
Groundhog Day is set for release on February 2nd via self-release.
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