KING'S X: (one of) America's best kept secret(s) in state-of-the-art Hard (in general) Rock. After 20 whole years making records that show much of professional performance/songwriting and less of wanna be motivation, it is in for the kill crying out sales have never certified their expertise in combining American Hard Rock, Funk, New Rock, (even) Grunge, Prog Rock/(semi) Metal or (yes!) Soul music in one. XV will not alter this manifest. Not even slightly...unfortunately.
OK, this anti-handicapped trio has received enough of esteem throughout its career; 1988's Out Of The Silent Planet did score good enough, Gretchen Goes to Nebraska (1989) did slightly better and 1990's Faith, Hope, Love topped both, while KING'S X opened for AC/DC in Europe and USA later in 1991. And then, things got a little bit gloomy. No 'new' news: a change of seasons in the Music Industry/Media, some identity crisis in the mid-to-late 90s period, management in-depth struggles and...
...history does not count this much when talkin' bout this Texas powerful trio. Hence, critics and journalists carried on being interested in the band's songs for all these years, while fans semi-followed. A band compared to RUSH for its way of thinking while writing music, a trio relative to from-HENDRIX-to-KRAVITZ's Groovy Rock tendency, an outfit flirting strongly with all the virtuoso-speaking instrumental CD making in the US the last quarter of a century, an act talking back to VAN HALEN's American Rock ethics and LINVING COLOUR's hip morals...KING'S X is your epitome when being afraid of how you would make your instrument sound both pro and true, with only two more guys following up your wants. Doug, Ty and Jerry - all being widely-known virtuoso musicians - have multi-worked the recipe.
To the music: in regards to the band's previous effort, Ogre Tones (2005), this new CD surely is more 'live' and 'settled'. As fresh as its predecessor, but looking at you in no fear to be 'accepted', XV features 12+2 songs written by all members (Go Tell Somebody showed up in the studio sessions, all-written down there) and if - for the familiar fan - you expect a more 'calm' album, this is partially true. The grooves are more mature, again bursting refrains are alive and kicking, while the production backing up this release is as sharp-plus-fresh as needed. Michael Wagener (OZZY OSBOURNE, ALICE COOPER, DOKKEN) handled the production and surely succeeded in bringing forth the KING'S X multi-dimensional flattering emotional-rescue-printed-on-disc.
You have to listen to KING'S X music to get the idea; not an ordinary band, no way. I imagine them recording with each member 'parking' at his own area in the studio, exchanging looks and grabbing their weapons in wide smile and lurking moody blues.
The bass/drums lines are building the base, Ty Tabor steps in with much of comfort and singing along ends up being a bit of what you fancy. Listen to the relentless 'new' Hard Rock aura of Pray, the repetitive progressive moody chant of Repeating Myself, the self-depressed optimism of I Just I Wanna Live and the in-your-face American vagabond-istic metallum of Alright and get what you deserve.
If KING'S X is your cup of tea, you may like XV a little both more than their post-90s works. You've grown up with them, you'll notice it in no vain. Else, take the chance and get familiar with a band whose works always raise the interest of high-profile musicians; this they do no better, for your services. Not for the Metal addict, someone would declare; even for the Metal addict, I'd oppose.