Small town America is where the story of King's Gambit begins. It's tough enough finding the right musicians in places like New York City or Los Angeles, let alone, Indiana, where the band formed.
"Half of us are from Lafayette, and the other half from Attica," says drummer Blake May. "Both are small towns (Attica especially), so finding a new member when someone didn’t workout was a job in its own. Eventually, we started hitting a stride with a solid lineup of members that we still have currently."
King's Gambit has been playing together for over a decade, but their stylistic direction has shifted throughout that time, according to Blake. "We formed the band in 2012, but the lineup and sound has changed so much since then.
"We call ourselves 'chaotic metalcore' because it seems like the only thing that comes close to describing us. We have the tendency to bend genre. We’re a metalcore band that leans into hardcore, but we’re not afraid to get slammy, doomy, or Southern with it either. Everyone in the band listens to different things. But I’d say overall our main influences have been Comeback Kid, Every Time I Die, Converge, Stick to Your Guns, etc."
With an EP, one album, and a few singles released since 2018, King's Gambit dropped a track called "Brutalist in a Maze" last month:
"The song is basically about the maze of our desire and how it does and doesn't lead to fulfillment," vocalist Anthony Sellers tells No Echo. "It's about how to navigate the complexity of it with an inherently brutal set of instincts. Learning how to properly deny yourself. To sacrifice for the betterment of you and others. How to live within a reality we can never truly grasp and in spite of this, feel fulfilled throughout the journey and our relationships, even in the face of impending emptiness.”
King's Gambit are part of the heavy music scene in Lafayette, Indiana, and Blake is proud that they've been able to carve out their own niche there. "It’s predominantly death metal and thrash bands here, so we stick out like a sore thumb. In a good way, we like to think. North End Pub and The Doom Room have made heavy music possible in this town, outside of DIY. The general Indiana scene is very active and diverse.
"There are a lot of cool bands here. Check out The Holy Nothing, Hamarr, Chromarama, Elijah, Persevere, Piss Ant, Inumbris, and Ripped Open, to name a few.
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King's Gambit on social media: Instagram
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