There’s something about dubstep and its dark, bass-laden sounds that stir my loins like no woman ever could. Artists like Tek-One and Rusko have introduced me to the loud, warbling basslines that dubstep can produce, and it’s been more than enough encouragement to start searching out the more obscure corners of the genre. The debut album from South London’s King Cannibal (formally known as Zilla) Let The Night Roar incorporates a wide variety of sounds that showcase all the familiar conventions of dubstep – both minimal and maximal. Some of his tracks contain a level of intensity more commonly found in DnB, and then there’s some that defy genre altogether.

From the intro track onwards you are offered a very dark and atmospheric spectrum of sound that is present throughout the entire album. While the tracks themselves are seldom similar to the last, this horror theme is carried on through use of whispered samples and echoed synths that bring with them a sense of dread and despair. This is very angsty dubstep. Fortunately for the listener, it is also quite good dubstep. The first track, titled Aragami, hits the ground running with a heavy mix of fast tempos, bass, and synthesised horns, exploding out of the silence of the intro with enough force to fix your posture. Murder Us featuring Jahcoozi uses a subtle bassline over a hypnotic beat and dark vocal samples that integrate itself cleverly into the melody. Virgo stands out as my favourite tune on the album. A very danceable track, mixing French hip-hop and a Kudoro sound which reminds me somewhat of Buraka Som Sistema, breaking up the monotony of the more atmospheric tunes. One other highlight is the Frankenstein-esqe heavy metal/regea/dubstep crossover ditty titled Dirt. Frighteningly heavy stuff!

The album jumps around from minimal to maximal without being too jolted and effectively draws you into its dark little existence. Overall the experience is a bit like watching a horror movie, building tension with drawn out synths and treble, whispering voices into the bud of your ear until you’re ready to jump out of your seat. Then just when you think it’s safe to breathe it drops a bassline that pumps out all the adrenalin of running from Freddy or Jason or that invisible bullshit in The Blair Witch Project. At the end you walk away a little unsettled but satisfied that you got your money’s worth*.

*‘Freddy Vs Jason’ is not applicable to this metaphor