Whitechapel - Kin 8.4

Deathcore/Alternative Metal

An incredibly vulnerable record, Kin tackles family and choices with awesome power and emotion.

2019’s The Valley broke open the Deathcore genre and thrust Whitechapel into the forefront of extreme music. This record created a rift between the band and other disposable music in the genre. The Valley showed that Deathcore could have depth and a purpose beyond ear-shattering brutality. The Valley always felt less “cheap” to me and Kin ended up being no different. This being said, Whitechapel doesn’t stray from many of the tropes that are staples of the genre and they make sure to give their fans some brutal moments (see all of “A Blood-soaked Symphony”)

This record is a masterclass in conveying emotion through music, and this goes beyond just Phil Bozeman’s crippling lyrics and vocals. The musical composition, the chord progressions and the drum tracks are expertly tailored to the very real and emotional subject matter.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Alex Rudinger, a technically impressive drummer I’ve been following for years, was going to be recording the drums for this album. I had pretty high expectations for his writing on Kin and it ended being pretty solid, though I wasn’t blown away. The highlight in the drumming category was the sound of the kit and its mix. Rudi has always had a knack for crafting some of the punchiest and most powerful drum sounds and he brought it all out for his work with Whitechapel. Check out his YouTube channel here.

This is a record that will inevitably hit harder for some than others as a result of its subject matter. Every track on Kin deals with family issues and the concept of regret. Phil Bozeman explores how his life could have turned out had other choices been made by both him and his parents. Its something that hits close to home for many. The choices in our lives though often trivial, can sometimes have earthshattering implications for us and our families.

This record has very few weak points in my opinion. It could be argued that Whitechapel was too focused this time around on the theme and lyricism of the album, rather than riffs and instrumentals. I didn’t come away from this record with a riff in my head or a particular musical passage that stood out to me as I did with 2019’s “Black Bear” and 2016’s “Elitist Ones”. This record came across as Phil Bozeman first and everyone else second. As such, your opinion of the record will inevitably come from what you expect out of extreme music and Whitechapel in particular. For me, I appreciated the break and I think everything ultimately works quite well with Kin.

Overall, I see this record as a continuation of both Whitechapel’s supremacy in the deathcore genre and their interest in exploring delicate topics through heavy music. Whitechapel is slowly adding softer songs to their music and Kin is the biggest example of such. Whitechapel is maturing as a band and they are no longer afraid to profoundly change their sound and hold back when they feel necessary.

8.4/10