Kublai Khan TX

Kublai Khan TX come from Sherman, Texas — a small town in the north of the state — and were formed in 2009 by a group of friends straight out of high school. The quartet consists of vocalist Matt Honeycutt, guitarist Nolan Ashley, bassist Eric English and drummer Isaac Lamb. They self-released the EP Youth War in 2010, built an audience through relentless touring, and signed with Artery Recordings in 2014 for debut album Balancing Survival and Happiness. Five studio albums have followed since — most recently Exhibition of Prowess in 2024 on Rise Records — and a position as one of the most respected forces in modern hardcore and metalcore. The music is brutal, heavy and downtuned to breaking point — metalcore rooted in the ‘90s metallic hardcore scene, with bands like Hatebreed, Integrity and Earth Crisis as obvious reference points. The guitars are sometimes tuned as low as drop G# on seven-strings, the breakdowns are slow and crushing, and Honeycutt’s raspy vocals carry lyrics far sharper than the genre demands. Kublai Khan TX write about racism, police brutality, depression, social anxiety and violence against women — not as slogans, but with an honesty and anger that gives the words weight. They have been called hardcore’s brainiest brawlers, and it is a description that sticks. Live, Kublai Khan TX are a physical experience. There is no pyro, no set design, just four people playing as if their lives depend on it. Honeycutt is a frontman who channels frustration and intensity with a presence that fills the room from the first note, and the pit at a Kublai Khan show is not for the uninitiated. This is hardcore the way it was meant to be: raw, honest and uncompromising.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​