Veteran drummer Matt Sorum has announced the debut album from his all-star project Kings of Chaos, and reunited the Velvet Revolver lineup for the new single “Judgement Day.”
Sorum performed and co-wrote “Judgement Day” alongside Slash, Duff McKagan, and Dave Kushner — all of whom played with Sorum in Velvet Revolver, the mid-2000s hard rock supergroup fronted by the late Scott Weiland. The song lives up to its all-star billing, with a high-speed pace and blazing leads from Slash and Kushner. Sorum handles lead vocals and sounds great on the mic, embracing the humor and punkish bite of the track.
That humor transfers over to the music video, which features a cameo from ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, and sees Sorum driving like a madman in an homage to Vanishing Point, screaming the song lyrics all the while.
Said Sorum of the clip: “Drawing inspiration from the 1971 film Vanishing Point morphed with imagery inspired by Natural Born Killers, director Brian Cox and I conceptualized a man running from his demons on a wild ride to find redemption guided by The Reverend Willy G (portrayed by ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons), an Angel (portrayed by Matt’s fashion designer, choreographer, and wife Ace Harper) on a motorcycle, and his inner child. A Wayward Wanderer searching for the light.”
The debut Kings of Chaos album is expected to drop sometime in Fall/Winter 2023 via AFM Records. According to the press release, the record will feature “guest collaborations with some of rock’s biggest names — including some of today’s most talented and iconic female artists.”
Up until now, Kings of Chaos has existed as a touring collective, with Sorum performing with a rotating cast of notable musicians, including Steven Tyler, Billy Idol, Ann Wilson, Corey Taylor, the late Chester Bennington, and more.
“Kings of Chaos, to me, is the reason I started playing music in the first place — for the sheer fun of it,” Sorum said in the press release. “I’m so pleased to be partnering with the team at AFM. Working with them on the creative vision for the album has been a great experience.”
He added: “It’s a celebration with your bucket list artists you’ve always wanted to play with.”
Stream the video for “Judgement Day” below.