“TYRANNY OF THE CLOCK” by Kilravock

On Tyranny of the Clock, Omaha-based songwriter and producer Steven Wayne Smith—under his solo moniker KILRAVOCK—delivers a searing six-track EP that is as much manifesto as it is music. Released on May Day 2025, the collection serves as both a celebration of labor solidarity and a preview of his upcoming full-length album Just Another Wonderful Day. It is a work shaped by fury, intellect, and the lived experience of a neurodivergent artist navigating the demands of a society bent on productivity. The EP opens with “Who Killed Saint Monday?”, a blistering track built from scratch by Smith alone—every instrument, every note, a personal rebellion. Inspired by George Woodcock’s essay The Tyranny of the Clock, the song interrogates the historical imposition of time discipline on workers, transforming academic theory into driving rock urgency.

Gritty guitars, post-punk drum punches, and fuzz-laden grooves bring a fire that recalls stoner rock roots while nodding to Smith’s past in Megaton and Valley of Shadows. “Solidarity Forever,” a mournful reinterpretation of the labor anthem, strips away its celebratory tone to reveal a haunting lament. Gone is the rallying cry—in its place, a slow-burning ache for the fading dream of union power in America. Featuring guest collaborators, the track becomes a dirge for lost unity, yet still hums with defiant hope. Two familiar tracks reappear in sharper form: “Incompatibility” and “Working Class Hero,” both previously released, return here remixed and remastered. Lennon’s classic is reimagined with raw industrial textures, while Smith’s own “Incompatibility” explores neurodivergent alienation in the workplace with jagged introspection and layered heaviness.

Bringing the EP to a close are pieces from Smith’s collaborative efforts. “Labor Day – 2025 Remix” (with post-punk collective The Alliterates) simmers with garage-rock chaos and pointed rage. “Beg For Scraps – 2025 Remaster” (from avant-noise project Lucid Fugue) concludes the release with a warped sonic collage, experimental yet thematically cohesive. Tyranny of the Clock is not easily categorized. It’s progressive rock with post-metal edges, industrial scarring, and the soul of protest folk hidden beneath distortion. It’s as unrelenting as it is thoughtful—steeped in history, sharpened by personal struggle, and executed with absolute creative conviction. A striking document of resistance, and a preview of more to come.