If you’ve ever been overlooked, counted out, doubted, and disrespected, the Autumn Kings have a theme song for you. “Sleep When I’m Dead” is a statement of absolute conviction in the face of opposition and indifference — a rallying cry for anybody who doesn’t want to be told the odds. With their newest single, the Detroit hard rock band has applied their considerable musical muscle to the worthy cause of uplifting the spirits of the members of their rapidly growing audience. The farther down you are, the more sympathy they’ve got for you, and the more determined they are to give you the jolt of energy you need to overcome your challenges. Though it hits like an iron hammer and shakes like a train on an elevated rail, this is a love song in the purest sense.
It wasn’t so long ago that the Autumn Kings were stocking the shelves in a grocery store and dreaming of rock stardom. Tireless work, ingenuity, and real camaraderie put them on the path to success, and their recent achievements are impressive. They’ve brought their piledriver sound to Japan, South Korea, and Guam, and built a local reputation for fierce and fearless performances. They’ve attracted the attention of some of the industry’s finest, including songwriter Jake Diab [Bad Wolves, Evanescence], who sharpened the themes of “Sleep When I’m Dead,” and Juno-nominated producer Martin Bak [Big Sugar, Billy Raffoul], who has made sure that every beat slams like a car door. Best of all, they’ve done it on their own. They’ve forged a sound that matches the drama of rock with the propulsion of hip-hop and electronic music, and they’ve amped it up loud enough for the world to hear.
Justin Everest’s animated clip for “Sleep When I’m Dead” crackles with the same unquenchable independent spirit. His AI-assisted accompaniment to this thunderous track is driven by unassailable superhero energy, but the comic-book-style characters that populate the video are assailed by forces beyond their control. Rain, magic forces, powerful antagonists: they’re all present and formidable. Yet the message in the track is impossible to miss. No matter how desperate things get, the Autumn Kings refuse to be defeated, or even deterred.
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