Kingdom of Giants Hit Respawn With a New Voice and a New Era

Kingdom of Giants didn't ease into this transition. They kicked the door down. "Respawn" is the Sacramento metalcore outfit's first single with new bassist and vocalist JT Gutierrez, and it lands like a statement from a band that has zero interest in playing the adjustment period slow. The track dropped today via SharpTone Records, and I'll be real, it might be their best work in years.

The New Chapter

If you've been following the KOG saga, you already know the backstory. Jonny Reeves, who originally joined the band back in 2017, departed in 2023, came back in January 2024, and then left again by late 2024 to join The Amity Affliction. Reeves confirmed his exit on The Downbeat podcast earlier this year, saying the two bands simply had different trajectories. No bad blood, just different paths. He's since appeared on The Amity Affliction's new album House Of Cards and is touring with them full time.

Enter JT Gutierrez. The man has been grinding for 15 years to get to this point, and you can hear every bit of that experience on "Respawn." Gutierrez himself called joining KOG "a turning point in my life," and based on what he delivers here, the feeling seems mutual. This isn't a band making do with a replacement. This is a band that found someone who genuinely elevates what they're doing.

The Song Itself

Honestly, "Respawn" is a track that rewards repeat listens. On the surface it's classic KOG: crushing riffs, that signature electronic-infused production they've been perfecting since Passenger, and a chorus that sticks. But the dynamic between frontman Dana Willax and Gutierrez is what makes this one special. Willax himself said this is his favorite KOG track "in as long as I can remember," and when you hear how the two vocalists play off each other, you understand why.

Gutierrez brings a versatility that opens doors for the band's songwriting. His vocal range is genuinely impressive, moving between guttural lows and textured cleans that contrast and complement Willax in ways the band hasn't explored before. There's a push and pull throughout the track that mirrors the song's subject matter perfectly. Willax pointed out how well they "contrast each other simultaneously," and that's the best way to describe it. They aren't fighting for space. They're creating something bigger by occupying different parts of the same emotional spectrum.

Thematically, the song dives into the cycle of letting someone back in when you know they're going to let you down again. That feeling of knowing a relationship is wrong and unhealthy but giving it another shot anyway, only to end up exactly where you started. It's a gut punch that anyone who's been in that cycle will recognize immediately.

There's an unintentional irony there too, if you want to read into it. The song is about letting someone back in and being disappointed again. Reeves himself left the band, came back, and then left again. I don't think the song is about that situation at all, but the parallel is hard to ignore.

Watch the Video

The music video, co-directed by Willax alongside Stephanie Zapolska, is worth your time. Check it out below.

The Bigger Picture

What makes "Respawn" feel so significant is the context around it. Kingdom of Giants have been on an absolute tear. They dropped the Bleeding Star EP in September 2024 and followed it up with Burning Chrome in August 2025. Both projects were part of a larger creative vision, and the band has talked about how splitting the work into two EPs let them give every track the attention it deserved. Reviewers have consistently called them one of the best bands in metalcore right now, and that electronic-infused style they've been building on keeps getting sharper.

"Respawn" arrives as a standalone single that bridges what came before with whatever's next. And according to the press release, more new music is on the way. With Gutierrez locked in and the creative chemistry clearly working, KOG sounds like a band that didn't just survive a lineup change. They leveled up.

The song title itself says it all. In gaming, a respawn means you died but you're back, ready to go again. That's exactly where this band is. Same fight, new life.

Catch Them on the Road

The timing on this release could not be better. Kingdom of Giants are about to hit the road as special guests on Kittie's massive Legacy of Fire Tour: 30 Years of Kittie, which is Kittie's first full North American headline tour in over ten years. Gore rounds out the bill. The tour kicks off June 6 and here are the dates where you can catch KOG:

6/11 Los Angeles, CA — Echoplex

6/12 Anaheim, CA — House of Blues

6/13 Phoenix, AZ — Nile Theater

6/15 San Antonio, TX — Aztec Theatre

6/16 Houston, TX — House of Blues

6/18 Nashville, TN — Brooklyn Bowl

6/19 Atlanta, GA — The Masquerade

6/20 Charlotte, NC — The Fillmore

6/21 Baltimore, MD — Baltimore Soundstage

6/23 New York, NY — Irving Plaza

6/24 Worcester, MA — The Palladium

6/26 Toronto, ON — Danforth Music Hall

6/27 Montreal, QC — Théâtre Beanfield

Note that the early dates in St. Louis, Denver, and Salt Lake City do not feature Kingdom of Giants on the bill. The LA Echoplex date on June 11 was a late addition, and that room holds roughly 660 people. If you're in Southern California and want to see these guys up close in an intimate setting, that's your move.

Stream "Respawn" now and grab tickets for the Kittie tour before they're gone. If you haven't been paying attention to Kingdom of Giants, this is the time to start. They just respawned, and they came back stronger.

Cover photo courtesy of Ticketmaster