June 6
Words by Angela Croudace
Before diving into A Young Person’s Guide to King Parrot, I’ll admit my familiarity with the band was pretty surface-level. I’d sampled their earlier work and always admired the chaos—those live shows looked absolutely unhinged—and with so many of my friends being die-hard fans (not to mention the full-blown obsession from the team here at HEAVY), it’s surprising I hadn’t fully committed sooner.
But that all changed with this record. It’s the album that flipped the switch—raw, unrelenting, and weirdly addictive. By the time it ended, I wasn’t just impressed—I was converted. I’ve since gone back and devoured their entire discography, and I can confidently say I’m now a fully invested King Parrot fan.
King Parrot doesn’t ease you in—they shove you face-first into the chaos and Get What Ya Given is the perfect sucker punch to kick things off. At just under two minutes, it’s a feral burst of grindcore grit, with Matt Young’s signature roar riding a wave of blast beats, snarling riffs, and whiplash tempo shifts. It sets the tone with brutal efficiency: no bullshit, no buildup, just straight for the jugular.
Youngy revealed that this track in particular deals with grief and loss and is an homage to the friends he has lost along the way. There’s no denying the presence of those visceral emotions throughout this track and indeed the whole album. For an opener, Get What Ya Given is certainly a declaration of intent—if you’re not ready for a brutal sonic assault on the senses, King Parrot are charging forth without ya!
Fuck You and the Horse You Rode In On and Cunning as a Dunny Rat come in hot—and if you were expecting even a moment’s reprieve, you’re dreaming. The energy stays cranked from the outset, with both tracks delivering razor-sharp riffs and relentless momentum. Cunning as a Dunny Rat especially puts Ari White’s guitar work front and centre, his chugging riffs locking in tightly with the blistering pace of the drums, driving the chaos with surgical precision.
As the album hits its halfway point, it feels like my ears have melted in real time—an unrelenting assault on the senses that gets my heart racing. The thought of experiencing this live is electric; I can already picture the crowd feeding off each other’s chaos, our collective energy levitating the band on stage. This time around, the aggression feels even more urgent, rawer, and yet somehow more refined than anything King Parrot has delivered before.
Punish the Runt throws you headfirst back into the madness—a tightly wound detonation of everything King Parrot excels at. It kicks off with Todd Hansen’s pummelling drum barrage, quickly joined by Youngy’s trademark guttural vocals. Just as you think you’ve found your footing in the chaos, Andrew ‘Squizz’ Squires shatters expectations with a guitar solo—sharp, unrelenting, and completely unexpected. It slices through the noise at the perfect time, a bold and welcome curveball that elevates the track to another level.
I Got the Right kicks off with a thick, swaggering, heavy groove riff—more reminiscent of sludge metal or groove-laden hardcore than the band’s usual grindcore assault. It’s a momentary head-nodder, almost luring you into a false sense of control before the tempo violently shifts. Without warning, the drums explode and Youngy’s vocal barrage drags you straight back into the band’s signature fusion. It’s a jarring, exhilarating turn—one that showcases King Parrot’s ability to weave unexpected textures into their sonic carnage without losing their feral edge. These heavier groove and rock overtones surface throughout the album in brief, powerful bursts, adding rich texture to the overall sound. The band explores these elements just enough to keep things dynamic and engaging without overshadowing their core intensity.
Look Away I’m Hideous further showcases King Parrot’s fearless boundary-pushing and their skill in fusing heavy genres without straying from their core sound. The guitar work stands out in particular, weaving between crushing grooves and frantic bursts of intensity. It’s a tightly wound assault that keeps listeners on edge from start to finish. True to its title, the track is ugly in the best way—loud, fast, and unapologetically grotesque. If I had to choose, this track is probably my favourite off the album.
Pissing on the Fist of the Law is a fitting finale—relentless and aggressive; it captures the band’s desire to wring every last drop of wrath from the listener and ignite a rebellious spark against authority. Rather than ending abruptly, the track slowly unravels, with instruments and vocals fading into oblivion, adding a dramatic and haunting conclusion to the album’s chaos.
A Young Person’s Guide to King Parrot isn’t just another heavy release—it’s a defiant statement of identity, chaos, and craft. Balancing grindcore brutality with flashes of groove and experimentation, the album refuses to play it safe for even a second. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the madness, this record demands your attention. It’s raw, relentless, and unfiltered—exactly the kind of sonic punishment that deserves to be heard, felt, and thrashed along to. Put it on, turn it up, and let King Parrot drop-kick you into the pit.
