LIVE REVIEW: Dropout Kings @ The Flapper, Birmingham

Countless festival appearances, a joint, punch-you-in-the-throat EP with nu-metal/G-punk pioneers (HED) P.E and DJ LETHAL and a zillion streams later, it actually beggars belief why Arizona natives DROPOUT KINGS are only just making it to Blighty’s shores now. Since their inception in 2016, the five-piece have continued to push the creative threshold, notching up rave reviews along the way for debut full-length Audiodope, which lovingly blurred the lines between rock and hip-hop – and served up a big ol’ dollop of nostalgia to boot. As the saying goes however, better late than never. And with all Midlands-based supports BORDERS, OVERTHRONE and A TITAN, A DEITY being chucked into into the dank mix, Birmingham’s The Flapper looks set for some up-close-and-personal aural filth tonight.

With high-profile slots alongside LOATHE, MONUMENTS and THE CONTORTIONIST already under their young belts, A TITAN, A DEITY have continued to make their own (and equally loud) mark on the progressive metalcore scene since 2018’s Animate / Redefine. So truth be told, it definitely feels like a bit of a slap in the face to note the sparse turnout for these openers. That said, what this crowd lack in numbers, they absolutely make up for it in their collective voracity. There’s approximately four minutes of thoroughly captivating madness when crushing single lo drops like a bomb. Packing juddering riffs, thundering drum kicks and effortless segues between searing cleans and gravel-laced screams, it’s earworm central.

It also makes for a genuinely touching moment, as the lads dedicate it to the memory of local metalhead (and gig-loving legend to many) Toby “like the Carvery” Lloyd who sadly passed away recently. Gentle chord progressions and searing melancholia on ARCHITECTS-esque Bleak quickly give way to ferocious growls and pummelling breakdowns whilst Heirloom – replete with hair-raising atmospherics – is quite literally hot off the press with the five-piece only releasing an accompanying video today. There’s more where that came from too, as the brand-new material follow suit with unreleased cut Revelations, before a closing salvo of hook-laden Oathbreaker and Lilith round off this thirty-minute brutal assault.

Rating: 8/10

If you’ve got a penchant for melodic metalcore that perfectly juxtaposes seething rage with palpable emotion, OVERTHRONE will undoubtedly be your band du jour. “Birmingham – spin this fucking room around!” Luke Hill spits into the mic as the band drop a throat-tearing Masochist and Prisoner (the latter of which could be WAGE WAR’s wonderfully furious transatlantic cousin) in blisteringly quick succession. The crowd has increased marginally since doors but ultimately, it’s those absentees’ loss, with tonight’s setlist (most of which comes from current/sophomore album The Path of Destruction) proving what an impressive live proposition these guys are. Barked instructions of “Let’s see some heads banging!” are followed to the cranium-shaking, nth degree and by the latter moments of an anthemic Endless Decay, bassist/vocalist Joe has taken to the floor alongside the grinning faces. Everyone’s invited to take two steps forward for set closer Bitter Reign, which is also an invitation for the pile of sweaty bodies to crash and smash into each other one last time. It’s a super, spin-kicking conclusion to a set that screams with promise.

Rating: 8/10

Distorted Sound had the absolute pleasure of witnessing bonafide genre-splicers BORDERS smashing the proverbial bejesus out of UK Tech-Metal Fest’s packed main stage but a few weeks ago. So admittedly, we’re equally shocked as we are disappointed to see that there’s more punters in attendance upstairs at the bloody pub quiz than down in the venue basement. Not that it appears to be throwing the Lincoln lads off their stride in any way, shape or form as a resplendent Jordan Olifent throws out his arms before leading his charge into a raucous salvo of beefed-up cuts War and Bad Blood. It’s fast, it’s furious and it’s fucking HEAVY. His subsequent statement of “Birmingham – you know what’s happening. Split this room from left to right!” is akin to a war cry and as the limbs flail and enthusiastic bodies begin clattering into each other, Team DS are almost taken out by a rogue (and heavily perspiring) mosher who comes hurtling towards us like they’re metal’s answer to Usain Bolt.

We live to tell the tale, but fear our bodily functions might betray us with Jordan’s follow-up instruction of “I need to see some violence Birmingham!” Thankfully, the only thing to be unleashed is a shit-ton of caustic screams from the stage’s direction as a rabid Nothing To Lose drops with all the power of a hirsute grenade. The main highlight of tonight’s set (granted there are many!) however, has to be an absolutely phenomenal rendition of current rap/nu-core drenched single NWWM. The fire on display here – those grime-inflected bars being spat with the tightest of tight deliveries – is arguably even more ferocious than that of UK Tech-Fest’s; and as the vocalist asks everyone to, once again, join in with guitarist Gav Burton on the “BEST BELIEVE THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH ME!” gang chants, the vibe here is nothing less than animalistic. There’s one more opportunity for the crowd-surfing contingent to head skywards as Fade To Black rounds off a near-flawless thirty-something minutes and Jordan joins the rabid punters for one last bounce.

Rating: 9/10

The DROPOUT KINGS live experience is an unfamiliar one prior to tonight, but having gleaned how equally impactful and introspective these guys’ discography is – awash with tightly rapped lyrics and haunting yet passionate vocals over polished, metal inspired, instrumentation, Team DS are chomping at the bit by the time the Phoenix wrecking crew hit The Flapper’s stage. And by GOD, they do not disappoint. It takes but one bellow of “It’s time to fuck shit up Birmingham!” and two venomous bars of wonderfully unhinged opener Going Rogue to send the place into complete overdrive. Serving huge, satisfying plates of nostalgia and frenzied nu-metal – those sonic nods to CYPRESS HILL and HED (P.E.) are impossible to deny – both Virus and Bad Day are giving us fifty-shades-of-LINKIN PARK at various points.

Not that anyone here is complaining mind! There’s an obscene exuberance powering both Eddie Wellz and Adam Ramey’s tightly wound raps; they spit, they swagger and both blend seamlessly when Adam chucks some Chester Bennington-esque cleans into the mix. Wellz stalks every inch of available space (which, admittedly, is no easy feat in socks and sliders) as the writhing pits get lit amongst a slew of devastating rhythms and neck-snapping riffs on NVM and PitUp; the latter’s boisterous cries of “Shut the fuck up! / Everything is fucked up!” and low-end breakdowns sending the bodies flying. There’s a few momentary pauses between groove-battered diatribes in which the band take the opportunity to banter with the crowd.

A decidedly hardcore punter called Paul – decked out in a sling but vibing inexplicably hard down the front – quickly catches their eye. “If I scrape my thumb, I’m like, oh my god! We all need to be more like Paul!” they quip. There’s also an impromptu band-cum-audience warble-along of NICKELBACK banger Hero when a knackered double-bass pedal has to be remedied by one of the supports. The mercury shoots even higher when BORDERS talisman Jordan is called on stage and the three vocalists collaborate on a scorching rendition of Hakai – everyone immediately proceeds to lose their shit as glitchy scratching and deafening shouts of “Destroy everything one time / destroy everything two times / I don’t give a FUCK!” reverberate from the front to the back. There’s just enough time for acerbic anthems GlitchGang and 20Heads (from debut Audiodope) to rattle craniums and the stage barrier. The capsule review? A triumph of a live debut. DROPOUT KINGS – Birmingham salutes you.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Birmingham from Serena Hill Photography here: 

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