Kowloon Walled City

Formed in San Francisco in 2007, Kowloon Walled City operates at the edge of sludge metal, noise rock and hardcore, with a heavy but dry approach, based on tempos often slow, abrasive guitars, a very present bass and a taut vocal that avoids the spectacular effects of more classic metal. The band brings together Scott Evans, Jon Howell, Ian Miller and Jeff Fagundes, after guitarist Jason Pace left in 2011. From the Turk Street EP in 2008, followed by Gambling on the Richter Scale in 2009, Kowloon Walled City establishes a compact and angular sound, nourished as much by the density of sludge as by the nervous energy of noise rock. The following years see several splits, notably with Ladder Devils, Fight Amp and Thou, before Container Ships in 2012, where the writing becomes tighter and more melodic without losing tension. Grievances in 2015 extends this evolution toward a leaner format, almost austere at times, then Piecework in 2021 confirms a singular balance between heaviness, repetition, dissonance and a sense of rhythmic detail. Active on American and European metal and underground scenes, Kowloon Walled City has also gained notice on tour alongside Sleep, while maintaining a strong anchor in the independent aesthetics of the San Francisco Bay.