Get "Belligerent" with Kublai Khan on new song—exclusive
Texan heavyweights Kublai Khan and AltPress are teaming up to premiere “Belligerent,” the second new song off their forthcoming album. Much like their lead single “The Hammer,” it's a mosh metalcore confrontation of twisting riffs to headbang away to.
Nomad, their label debut for Rise Records, will be released on Sept. 29. Pre-order packages can be found at MerchNOW.
Beginning Sept. 4, Kublai Khan will embark on a headline tour with No Zodiac, Left Behind, I Am, and Great American Ghost. All dates are listed at the bottom, including two just announced Texas shows opening for Hatebreed.
Check out the world premiere below along with an interview.
“BELLIGERENT” MUSIC VIDEO:
INTERVIEW WITH FRONTMAN MATT HONEYCUTT:
You're from Sherman, Texas, a small town. Does it have a music scene?
The music scene in Sherman is pretty much dead. Back when we started as a band, it was thriving with several different venues, which pulled some pretty awesome packages for some years. But over time, it all just kinda faded away. We started to travel farther and farther off for shows until eventually we were gone for weeks or months at a time. But we always came home to Sherman and we have never forgotten the town that built us up.
Do your roots have anything to do with the new album being titled Nomad?
To an extent, yes. We have all been touring with this band for so long that the lines between the road and home sometimes become blurred. I for one have almost completely adopted the nomadic lifestyle we have all become accustomed to. So much so that coming home now takes getting used to. It almost becomes a more and more distant transition to deal with.
What would you say are the most Texan things about you?
I suppose my accent, because that's what people point out first. But, I'm most definitely a Southerner at heart. As far as the most Texan thing, I'd say I just love relaxing on a Sunday afternoon over a plate of chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes. I love making knives and eating BBQ. What seems normal may be super Texan to an outsider, I suppose.
You were injured very badly between New Strength and Nomad. How did you not only heal, but transform your body completely in the gym?
Well, long story short, a nerve in my neck began to swell, which put pressure on the fluid surrounding my spinal cord. It almost cut off all feeling and use to my left arm. I had to undergo close to five months of therapy to regain control of my arm. A lot of the time was spent in the gym doing routines to try and build the use back in my arm. After many months, my arm came back and was even stronger than before. Spending so much time in the gym became a habit that soon became an obsession.
Were there times after the injury you felt like you hit rock bottom? Or giving up on everything?
Oh, most definitely. Our band had to drop a large U.S. tour and as well as an overseas tour. We lost a lot of steam and I felt like it was my fault. I felt like I let everyone down. But I didn't want to settle with giving up. I couldn't.
You just finished a weekend run for Vanna's farewell shows. How are you preparing to dominate a headlining tour next month?
We are going to be rolling out brand new music and a massive new merch spread. We will be hitting a lot of our favorite areas with some bands that fucking smash.
Is there anything better than watching people mosh their asses off for your band?
It's my all time favorite. When people are moving and the energy is up, there no better feeling. Seeing that shit washes away a lifetime of doubt and pain. It give me a purpose that I can share with others. I do it for the mosh.
On joining Rise Records and their legacy bands like the Acacia Strain, do you feel like you've just opened the floodgates for Kublai Khan?
I really feel like this is such an amazing opportunity and bands like the Acacia Strain have always been so good to us and helped us along the way. Things are looking brighter for us than ever and we couldn't be more excited about it.
Every song has a story, but we're premiering “Belligerent.” What is the inspiration for this one?
The fact that over the years my temper has developed into its own beast. I try to control it or mask it with humor, but I honestly feel so much anger at all times. It's caused me to distance myself from others, but I'm still stuck with myself, which is the worst part. It's a song about aggresive tendencies and the inability to deal with them calmly. I'm sure there are others out there who can relate.
KUBLAI KHAN HEADLINING TOUR:
9.4.17 — Oklahoma City, OK — 89th Street Collective
9.5.17 — Albuquerque, NM — The Launchpad
9.6.17 — Mesa, AZ — The Underground
9.7.17 — Anaheim, CA — Chain Reaction
9.8.17 — Camarillo, CA — Rock City Studios
9.9.17 — Bakersfield, CA — B Ryders
9.10.17 — Henderson, NV — Eagle Aerie Hall
9.12.17 — Portland, OR — Analog Theater
9.13.17 — Seattle, WA — El Corazon
9.15.17 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Loading Dock
9.16.17 — Denver, CO — Moon Room
9.17.17 — Merriam, KS — Aftershock
9.18.17 — St. Louis, MO — Fubar
9.20.17 — Chicago, IL — Beat Kitchen
9.21.17 — Indianapolis, IN — Hoosier Dome
9.22.17 — Columbus, OH — Double Happiness
9.23.17 — Kent, OH — The Outpost
9.24.17 — Erie, PA — Basement Transmissions
9.26.17 — Clifton Park, NY — Trick Shot Billiards
9.27.17 — Hartford, CT — Webster Underground
9.28.17 — Freehold, NJ — GameChanger World
9.29.17 — Brooklyn, NY — The Knitting Factory
9.30.17 — Gaithersburg, MD — Raw Ink Live
10.1.17 — Richmond, VA — The Canal Club
10.3.17 — Chapel Hill, NC — Local 506
10.4.17 — Atlanta, GA — Drunken Unicorn
10.5.17 — Tampa, FL — Crowbar
10.6.17 — Orlando, FL — Backbooth
10.7.17 — Jacksonville, FL — Nighthawks
10.9.17 — Little Rock, AR — The Building
10.11.17 — San Antonio, TX — Jack's Patio Bar
10.12.17 — Austin, TX — Come and Take It Live
KUBLAI KHAN SUPPORTING HATEBREED:
10.26.17 — Houston, TX — Proof Bar
10.27.17 — Dallas, TX — Gas Monkey
