Speaking The Kings are a post hardcore band from California, USA and have been making music for almost two years. The band recently released their debut EP entitled ‘Here To Stay’ through Nuclear Blast. The EP was recorded with Tom Denney who has worked with Pierce The Veil and Secrets. The bands schedule has been getting pretty busy the past few months with the EP release, a brand new video and sharing stages with the likes of We Came As Romans, Of Mice And Men, Blessthefall and Bleeding Through.
We caught up with guitarist Justin Bock, check out what happened right here.
HTF: So for those who haven’t heard of Speaking The Kings, how would you describe your sound?
Justin: We strive to write songs that sound huge. We’re all fans of everything from pop to metal, and we like to incorporate our varied influences into our music. We love the heavy side of hardcore and metal and the raw emotion that it invokes, but at the same time, we really love the huge catchy choruses of rock and pop. So our sound is a mix of catchy choruses and the heavy stuff.
HTF: You got your name from ‘Inglorious Basterds’, has this or anything else influenced your writing at all?
J: We did get our name from ‘Inglorious Basterds,’ and I think that the overall meaning of that particular scene pretty well sums up what we are doing. If you are unfamiliar with the scene, an English officer has his cover blown and is facing what very well could be his death. He breaks from his cover as a German officer and says, “Well if this is it old boy…I hope you don’t mind if I go out speaking the king’s.” To us this means when it really matters you do your thing, and let the chips fall where they may. So that’s what we do. We write about what we know, about what is important to us, and we hope that people are able to connect with us and with our music.
HTF: You’ve recently release your EP ‘Here To Stay’, how has it been received?
J: The release of our EP ‘Here To Stay’ has been great! We’ve gotten a lot of really good feed back and it’s pretty surreal to think that we have music out on Nuclear Blast! We put a lot into this band and into the EP, and it’s an amazing feeling when you find out people believe in what you are doing. We are very fortunate to be where we are, and to be a part of the Nuclear Blast family!
HTF: You stormed the UK with your single ‘Casanova’ getting Radio 1 airplay, what track off your EP can we expect next?
J: The BBC Radio 1 airplay was huge for us! We’d like to thank Daniel P Carter and the Rock Show for giving us a listen! We were all tuned in here in Southern California and it was pretty insane hearing someone on the other side of the world announce our EP release and single. The next track we release will probably be “How You Work.” Hopefully Daniel will call it a “banger” too!
HTF: Any plans to tour the UK in the future?
J: We don’t have any set plans to tour the UK, but we would LOVE to do so! A couple of us have been there, and it was amazing. Any excuse to go back is welcome…especially if it’s touring!
HTF: Are there any British bands that you would love to tour with?
J: We would love to tour with You Me At Six, While She Sleeps, Bring Me The Horizon, Architects and Lower Than Atlantis. We are all fans of those bands and it would be amazing to get to see them play every night, and to share the stage with them. So let’s make this happen!
HTF: What was it like to work with Tom Denney?
J: Tom Denney is an incredibly talented song writer and producer. It seems as if he has a million different ideas at all times and we learned a lot from our time at his studio. On top of that, the EP came out great! What more can you ask for?
HTF: Who are your biggest influences?
J: Our influences are pretty varied. We’re all fans of everything from pop to metal, and everything in between. Some of our common favorites are Comeback Kid, Rise Against and A Day To Remember, to name a few.
HTF: What is happening with Speaking The Kings and the rest of 2013?
J: Next for us is studio time. We’re going into the studio with producer Steve Evetts (Architects, Suicide Silence, Every Time I Die, The Wonder Years) in September to work on our first full length for Nuclear Blast! We are really excited for the opportunity to work with Steve, and can’t wait to get started! Is it September yet?!
We’d really like to thank HitTheFloor.com for giving us a listen, and taking the time to interview us! You guys rule!
Check out what we made of the bands EP right here.
Interview by: Amber Carniage
