“Without the fans’ support, there is no King Kraken. We do it for us, we do it for the fans, and we aren’t stopping. So climb aboard and hold on!”
There are heavy bands.
There are really heavy bands.
And then there’s King Kraken — a bunch of Welsh riff-slinging cavemen who sound like somebody woke an ancient sea monster, handed it a guitar and told it to turn the bloody amp up. 🤘🔥
Since coming together in 2018, King Kraken have been steadily carving their name into the UK rock and metal scene with enormous grooves, monstrous riffs and the kind of live performances that make you wonder whether the stage has adequate structural insurance.
From Bloodstock Open Air and Stonedead Festival to Winter’s End and, most recently, an unforgettable appearance at Steelhouse Festival, the Kraken continues to rise.
Now operating as a four-piece following the departure of original rhythm guitarist Pete, King Kraken are charging into their next era with fresh music, a third album taking shape and absolutely no intention of turning the volume down.
The Riff Report caught up with Mark, Karl, Richard and Adam to talk Welsh identity, songwriting, Steelhouse, touring chaos, forgotten amplifiers, dream festival slots and one particularly bonkers gig involving a wrestler, drawing pins and wooden skewers.
Yep.
This one gets weird.
Release the Kraken, mun! 🐙🔥
🎤 For anyone who hasn’t experienced King Kraken yet, how would you describe the band in your own words?
King Kraken: A clan of Welsh cavemen crafting heavy, groove-filled, riff-based noise!
🤘 How did King Kraken first come together, and what made you realise this was going to be something special?
King Kraken: We came together in 2018. It’s almost as if the members just fell into place.
Originally Karl on bass and Pete on rhythm guitar started jamming and wanted to put a band together. Richard on drums followed after being recruited by Pete and Karl.
Mark came next after answering a Facebook advert for a singer, and finally Adam came along — where we ended up having to audition for him!
Now, in 2026, King Kraken are a four-piece after Pete departed the band.
With no plans to expand the numbers, the band are stronger than ever and remain a four-piece.
🏴 How important is your Welsh identity to the band’s music and personality?
King Kraken: It’s quite important as it is essentially our roots.
Recently we played Steelhouse and Mark took great pride in waving the Welsh flag during the set, which got an amazing reaction with the festival taking place in Wales.
Some of the lyrics are born in Welsh myth and legend if there’s a good story there, but it’s more important to the band to include as many people as possible.
🐙 What inspired the name King Kraken?
King Kraken: There are two answers.
The correct answer and the more interesting answer.
Let’s see which one you think is the real answer!
We got the name because we wanted something that described the music and wanted something huge and monstrous. We started looking at mythical creatures and it was decided, based on lore and story, that the Kraken was the most interesting beast.
Mark wanted to make the Kraken more terrifying and imposing.
So what’s scarier than a Kraken?
A Kraken that eats other Krakens.
The king of a species describes a cannibal, like a king cobra.
And so King Kraken was born.
The other answer?
Pete, an original member, had a Victory guitar amp called the Kraken. Rich, our drummer, said: “Stick ‘King’ in front of it. That sounds cooler.”
The name stuck!
The Riff Report: We desperately want the first version to be true, but the amp story sounds suspiciously like exactly how a rock band would actually choose its name. 😂
🔥 How would you describe the King Kraken sound to someone who’s never heard you before?
King Kraken: Monstrous, groove-filled riffs and chest-breaking heaviness blended with the grit and melody of gravel-soaked volcanic vocals.
🎸 Who are your biggest musical influences, both individually and as a band?
Mark: Queen, Black Label Society and Volbeat. Also Black Sabbath and Metallica.
Karl: Slayer, Pantera, Sepultura and Mastodon.
Adam: Jimi Hendrix.
✍️ How does the songwriting process work? Does it start with a riff, a lyric or complete chaos?
King Kraken: We all come up with separate ideas, with Karl mainly writing riffs and Mark taking lyrics, and it’s all mashed together at rehearsals.
We always write together in one room.
Adam: The songwriting approach has developed considerably over time in the band.
Initially, we basically jammed a riff, found another one to go with it and allowed the song to structure itself quite freely.
This approach was streamlined for March of the Gods, and then even further for the three new singles.
We now tend to try and start with a chorus idea if possible and build the song from there.
⚔️ Which King Kraken song best represents who you are as a band right now?
King Kraken: “Call to War”, the first single as a four-piece.
It defines who we are as a band and cements our sound for anyone new to us.
🎤 MEET THE KRAKEN
Mark, your vocals are a huge part of the band’s identity. How do you prepare for a live show?
Mark: I definitely do warm-up vocal exercises prior to going on stage.
I also have a healthy supply of Vocalzone, which I have been using since joining the band.
🎸 Adam, how do you approach performing live?
Adam: As far as my approach to performing goes, I basically just turn the guitar up as loud as I can get away with and then disappear into the music for the duration of the set.
It’s my favourite place to be.
🔊 Karl, how important is the bass in creating that signature King Kraken groove?
Karl: Well, I’m going to say it’s massively important!
The bass and drums are what give us our groove. It’s all about the right tone for me and the ability to lock in with Richard but still play loose too.
🥁 Richard, which song is your favourite to play live, and which one is the biggest workout behind the kit?
Richard: There’s a song off our first album called “Bastard Liar” with a lot of double bass drum in it, so that’s always played early in the set, haha!
🔥 KING KRAKEN LIVE
Your live shows are packed with energy. What’s your philosophy when you step onto a stage?
Mark: To make sure everyone has a good time — and to show the crowd that we are having a good time too.
If the crowd can see us having a good time, it translates well to them.
Also, to be as professional as possible.
🤘 What’s been your most memorable gig so far, and why?
King Kraken: Each member will probably have a different answer, but our first major festival crowd was Stonedead.
It was 11am and there were 6,000 people cheering us on.
It was an incredible memory.
We’ve played Bloodstock Open Air and Winter’s End, which were also incredible, along with Steelhouse this year.
🏔️ You recently played Steelhouse Festival. What was that experience like for the band?
King Kraken: Surreal.
The support for us was incredible.
It was definitely a special moment and one we will never forget.
📝 The Riff Report Says…
And we can absolutely understand why.
King Kraken arriving on that Steelhouse stage felt like a band grabbing its opportunity with both hands and refusing to let go.
A Welsh band, on a Welsh mountain, playing enormous heavy riffs while the Dragon flew proudly from the stage?
Tidy. Proper bloody tidy. 🐉🤘
😈 What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen happen during one of your shows?
King Kraken: A wrestler came onstage during one gig.
Mark smacked him in the back with a tea tray full of drawing pins and hammered wooden skewers into his forehead using the mic as a hammer.
Ahhh, good times!
There was blood.
The Riff Report: Right then.
Moving swiftly on before somebody from Health & Safety finds this interview. 😂
🚐 LIFE ON THE ROAD
😂 Who’s the biggest prankster in King Kraken?
King Kraken: Richard.
At Steelhouse you could hear his laugh from across the field.
The man is a human gathering point in the event of an emergency.
“Follow the laugh!”
⏰ Who’s always late?
King Kraken: Adam.
But he thinks it’s fashionable.
🤦 Who’s most likely to forget something important before a gig?
Karl: Definitely me.
I forgot my amp once on a weekend of gigs heading up to Scotland!
Ceri, our manager, came to the rescue and bought an amp for me to use.
True story.
The Riff Report: Forgetting your plectrums? Understandable.
Forgetting a cable? Happens.
Forgetting the actual amp on the way to Scotland?
Outstanding work. 😂🤘
🎧 Who’s in charge of the playlist in the tour van?
King Kraken: Usually it’s a case of Joe Rogan beats everything, haha!
🌎 DREAM GIGS
If you could support any band in history, who would it be?
Mark: Queen or Iron Maiden.
Karl: Clutch.
Rich: Pantera.
Adam: Jimi Hendrix.
🎪 If you could headline any festival in the world, which one would you choose?
Mark: Hellfest or Wacken.
Rich: Rock am Ring.
Karl: I’d love to play Aftershock.
Adam: Woodstock.
Adam has apparently decided time travel is included in the question.
We respect that. 😂
🎵 THREE SONGS EVERY NEW KING KRAKEN FAN NEEDS
If you’ve reached this point thinking, “Right then, where do I start?”, the band have you covered.
Their three essential King Kraken tracks are:
🔥 Call to War
🔥 I Am The Apocalypse
🔥 Shadows Fall
Turn them up.
Neighbours are temporary.
Riffs are forever. 🤘
🇬🇧 THE STATE OF ROCK & METAL IN 2026
What’s the biggest challenge of being an independent rock band in 2026?
King Kraken: Maintaining momentum and sticking at it to get the bigger gigs.
Getting the people in the know to cast eyes on us.
How do you think the UK rock and metal scene is looking right now?
King Kraken: I think it’s quite healthy, to be honest.
Especially due to the internet.
It’s made the UK a smaller place and easier to reach out to people. There are bands always coming along and it’s exciting to hear new music.
🐉 Which up-and-coming Welsh bands should people be checking out?
King Kraken: Grindhorse 83.
They are completely bonkers!
And frankly, “completely bonkers” is exactly the sort of recommendation we appreciate around here.
🚨 NEW KING KRAKEN MUSIC IS COMING!
Is there any new music on the horizon that fans can get excited about?
King Kraken: Most definitely.
We have a new single coming in September, and we are currently making leaps and bounds towards album number three, which we hope to release next year.
🔮 Where do you see King Kraken in five years’ time?
King Kraken: We’re always aiming for the stars, but most likely playing Europe regularly, being a bigger band and a fully fledged business.
Oh, and a lot louder!
Considering Adam already turns his guitar up “as loud as I can get away with”, we’re slightly concerned about what a lot louder actually means.
Bring earplugs, Wales. 😂
❤️ A MESSAGE TO THE KRAKEN FAITHFUL
Finally, what’s your message to everyone who’s supported King Kraken from day one — and to anyone who’s about to discover the band for the first time?
King Kraken: We want to thank everyone who has joined us on this incredible, insane and fantastic journey.
Without the fans’ support, there is no King Kraken.
We do it for us.
We do it for the fans.
And we aren’t stopping.
So climb aboard and hold on!
⚡ THE RIFF REPORT QUICK-FIRE ROUND ⚡
☕ Tea or beer?
Tea.
🤘 Download or Bloodstock?
Bloodstock.
🏔️ Steelhouse or a sweaty club show?
Steelhouse.
🎸 Gibson or Fender?
Fender.
🔊 Marshall or Orange?
Orange.
💿 Vinyl or streaming?
Vinyl.
🌀 Circle pit or Wall of Death?
Circle pit.
🏴 Favourite Welsh venue?
The Patriot.
🔥 Dream festival line-up — three bands?
Black Label Society, Iron Maiden and Pantera.
🚐 Most-played album in the tour van?
Elegant Weapons.
🍔 Favourite post-gig food?
Whatever is in the service station garage.
Ah yes. The glamorous life of rock ’n’ roll.
Nothing screams international touring musician quite like staring into a service station fridge at midnight wondering whether the last remaining sandwich can legally be described as food.
🐙 One word that sums up King Kraken?
Mythical.
😂 If King Kraken wasn’t called King Kraken, what would the band be called?
Malk McKraken and the Squids.
Someone print the shirts immediately.
🔥 Finish this sentence: “King Kraken is…”
NEVER STOPPING!
🐙🤘 THE KRAKEN KEEPS RISING
King Kraken’s story feels far from finished.
What started in 2018 with musicians falling into place has developed into one of Wales’ gloriously heavy riff machines — a band proudly carrying its roots while looking well beyond the Welsh border.
They’ve stood in front of thousands at Stonedead.
They’ve hit Bloodstock.
They’ve conquered the Steelhouse mountain.
They’ve evolved into a four-piece and fired out “Call to War” as a statement of exactly what this new chapter sounds like.
And now?
There’s another single incoming, album number three is taking shape and Europe sits firmly in their sights.
Independent bands don’t get handed momentum. They earn it one gig, one record, one new fan and one motorway service station dinner at a time.
King Kraken are still earning theirs.
So if you’ve somehow avoided the Kraken until now, consider this your warning.
Stick on “Call to War”, follow it with “I Am The Apocalypse” and “Shadows Fall”, crank the speakers and prepare yourself.
Because the Welsh cavemen aren’t retreating back into the cave.
They’re only getting louder.
🐙🔥🤘
KING KRAKEN IS NEVER STOPPING!
The Riff Report — Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Zero Apologies. 🐉🤘
