Kingdom of Hits, the long-awaited new release by resurrected London rock band West Midlands is an almighty rave from the grave. At this late stage in the band’s lifespan, it’s a comeback as staggering and unlikely as digging up Richard III in a car park in Leicester.

The Crookback King lends Kingdom its chorus, “A hit, a hit, my Kingdom for a hit!” while the band, a supergroup of sorts, comprising legendary Windmill Brixton soundman Paul of Sound, undead frontman Andrew Wolfman and a gang of serious South London heads, dig out a thunderous sound from deep underground. Mile-high horns and stadium-sized guitars ride in on a bruising headless-horsemen rhythm, while Wolfman delivers a wild-eyed sermon that’s both a love letter and kiss-off to the bands that have kept him alive and almost killed him, “For anyone waiting for the late renaissance; thank you all for your time and patience.”       

West Midlands’ rapturously received return at The Lexington in London garnered rave reviews from scene heads old and new: 

“West Midlands are what would happen if Pulp got the keys to ZZ Top’s space car” - Angus Knight 

“This is the Universal Declaration of Bandkind's Rights. Wolfman is the Abraham Lincoln of Rock” – Tim Hope (REM, Jimmy Eat World) 

“West Midlands has birthed an empire of hits let alone a kingdom. A citadel of sonic euphoria in which every chord, note and lyric brings you past the point of pleasure!”  - Charlie Steen (Shame)   

“A squalling last push, and a rush because the land is sour but the party never stops” - Jason King (The Delinquent) 

“It’s like a depressed stand-up comic fronting Hawkwind” - Alfie Husband (Deadletter) 
 

Kingdom of Hits is available everywhere through the group’s own Grave Tapes label. It was produced by Paul of Sound and mastered by Doug Shearer (Electric Wizard, The Fall) and will feature on the band’s ambitiously-titled forthcoming album The Complete History of Popular Music 1984 – 2038 alongside 24 new never-heard hits exhumed from the least-likely corners of the rock and roll car park.