Album Review: Young Guns - All Our Kings Are Dead: Gold Edition

In the space between the release of their vastly impressive debut and the recording of the yet-to-be-named follow-up,Young Guns offer up some brand new content on ‘All Our Kings Are Dead: Gold Edition’.

With the album itself identical to the original, it’s left to a bonus DVD to justify the re-release, and parting with your precious cash. A documentary entitled ‘Don’t Look Back, Just Keep Moving’, tracking the rapid rise enjoyed by the band since their humble beginnings at the start of 2008, is a distinctly personal insight, serving as a timeline, taking in their formation, the recording and touring of their debut EP and heading out on the road with the likes of Lostprophets, Taking Back Sunday, All Time Low and Bon Jovi.

What really hits home in listening to each member describe their experiences, is the sense of gratefulness, and the genuine feeling that, although they worked incredibly hard to achieve each of their feats (fronting Kerrang!, touring Europe and playing the O2 arena to name a few), that they value everything they have. You can’t help but think while watching, that not losing sight of how easily things can go wrong should stand Young Guns in good stead.

Accompanying the short film are two live offerings, one a stripped-down session, filmed at Red Bull Studios, the other, three tracks taken from a performance at London’s Electric Ballroom in December 2010. The contrast of the guys in their natural habitat, thrashing out the likes of “Winter Kiss”, “Stitches”, and “Weight Of The World”, and the tranquil surroundings of an acoustic session, couldn’t be more stark, but the fact that they look equally comfortable in both situations says a lot for the ability they possess.

It's a shame that there aren’t any new songs to whet the appetite for the new record (which the band are currently recording in Thailand) but the impressive video content makes sure you’re not disappointed. A must have for the die hard fan, a worthwhile investment for everyone else.

3.5/5

'All Our Kings Are Dead: Gold Edition' is out now.

Liam Mcgarry