'Imperium' album review

Power anthems that run the gamut of emotions from love to loathing, each track on Bare Knuckle Conflict’s debut release can be loosely translated in their album title: Imperium. Wiki defines imperium as a Latin word that roughly translates into "power." According to the information site, in ancient Rome, imperium referred to the sovereignty of the state over the individual.

The band members, who include, Josh Whitt (lead vocals), Dustin Tinnon (guitar), Kevin Bowen (guitar), Jimmy Pourdas (bass), Jorden (drums), all hail from St. Louis, Mo. and Granite City, Ill. Formed back in 2003, Bare Knuckle Conflict has pretty much been like a force of its own, tearing up stages left and right in the Midwest ever since the hard metal band was conceived.

For the majority of the album, BKC is able to weld emotional excess without entirely estranging the listener. Imperium opens with the aptly titled track, “Bloody Knuckles,” that eases listeners right into the band’s sound. But you wouldn’t want to get too comfortable. Whitt’s resilient vocals that can vary mid-song conjures up Alien Ant Farms’ Dryden Mitchell in his heyday, as well as garnering various comparisons to other influences like Lamb of God, Tool, Korn, Pantera, and Slipknot among others.

Looking at the member list, it is certainly true in this case – there is strength in numbers, or it could just be more noise. Either/or, BKC's ability to captivate listeners sums up the entire experience in a nutshell. Heavy metal bands have an energy to them that is nearly infectious, and BKC is no exception. What makes Bare Knuckle Conflict unique is that they are not afraid to put the mundane or the routine in their songs. The tracks off Imperium cover everything from relationships to overcoming everyday battles regular people face, and BKC is able to talk about the aftermath of all this without producing a huge rift between their fans and them.

Although a good part of the album vies for your attention and the other half crosses over into droning white noise with all the excessive screaming, what lyrics listeners can make out demonstrate BKC’s ability to fully inhabit the emotions each track asks them to. This strength and their prowess within the genre goes to show that Bare Knuckle Conflict truly deserves to reign with Imperium.