THEM DAMN KINGS
Heavy Metal From The USA


Them Damn Kings are:
Jef Rhodes – vocals, lead guitar
Cooper Hughes – drums
Dan Damon – bass
discography:

EP

album

album
8.5 OUT OF 10…ROCK HARD MAGAZINE EUROPE:
“Rock solid, the sound of Them Damn Kings plays to the toughest hard rock placed exactly halfway between the traditional and the best expression of hard rock currently in circulation”
8 OUT OF 10…POWERPLAY MAGAZINE UNITED KINGDOM:
“’Rise up’ is a twisting riff thrill ride, combined with catchy vocals and hooks. A great debut album”
ROCK N REVIEW:
“Equal parts a.i.c. and godsmack, then dust lightly with 90’s metal…they knocked me on my ass”
8.5 OUT OF 10… AUDIO VEIN ENTERTAINMENT:
“Honestly… There isn’t a song on the album I would skip”
METALEXPRESS RADIO:
“’Stronger than before’ is a no Frills, in your face riff-festival from start to finish. What you get with these songs are hard hitting riffs, good solos and the right attitude…superb!”
MUSIC MATTERS MAGAZINE:
“Thrashing guitar riffs, heavy drums, deep grueling vocals. A perfect example of current day metal rock music!”
DREAD MUSIC:
“Overboard highlights the bands signature style with in your face riffs, blistering solos and Jef’s unique vocal style that fans have come to expect”
MAD ABOUT ROCK:
“Stomping and exhilarating hard rock armed with tons of passion and energy.”
What is rock ’n’ roll?
At its core, it’s primal and passionate, rebellious and lawless – a force that thrives on pushing against the boundaries society tries to impose.
It’s the great equaliser, pulling together misfits, outsiders, and silhouettes of every kind into the same sweat-soaked, smoke-filled club, united by volume, attitude, and instinct.
That’s exactly the world where Them Damn Kings belong.
Officially formed in 2020 by singer and guitarist Jef Rhodes, the band wasted little time making their presence felt.
For their debut album ‘Rise Up‘, Rhodes enlisted former Lacuna Coil drummer Ryan Blake Folden, laying down a foundation that was both muscular and unfiltered.
The record’s breakout single, ‘Throw It Away‘, quickly gained traction, becoming the fourth most-added track on the NACC Heavy Radio Chart and opening the door to a month-long U.S. tour supporting Gemini Syndrome.
Following Folden’s departure in 2023, Them Damn Kings found themselves at a crossroads.
The search for a new drummer proved challenging – until a chance moment in 2024.
On a whim, Rhodes reached out to a young drummer he’d spotted in a Facebook video thread.
That drummer, Cooper Hughes, accepted the call, completing the lineup and injecting the band with renewed momentum.
That chemistry is on full display on their second album, ‘Stronger Than Before‘, released on August 29, 2025.
Rather than arriving armed with pre-written material, the band chose to start from scratch – together.
Over the course of a single long weekend, the album was written in just three days, capturing a rare sense of immediacy and spontaneity.
Remarkably, the drum tracks heard on the record are the very takes recorded during those initial writing sessions, preserving the raw energy of the moment.
The title track and lead single, ‘Stronger Than Before‘, has already proven its impact, landing the band at #9 on the Metal Contraband chart and breaking into the Top 20 of the NACC Heavy Radio Chart at #12 in its second week of release.
So, what is rock ’n’ roll?
It’s loud, unrefined, and unapologetically human.
It’s sweat and instinct, risk and rebellion.
And right now, it sounds an awful lot like Them Damn Kings.