Back in 2013 there formed an unlikely alliance that nobody could have predicted, and KXM made it to number 31 on the billboard 200 with their premiere album. Years later we have finally received their second offering with  "Scatterbrain". As a trio made up of KING'S X vocalist and bassist, LYNCH MOB guitarist, and KORN drummer, we have...a Prog masterpiece. With the ability to quickly switch gears and pull from decades of experience in varied subgenres of Metal, KXM isn't pulling any punches.

The title track starts with a slow pull into some great, distorted vocals with some subdued guitar that remain as a background for much of the song. This changes on a dime for a great solo that is charged with feeling. This whole track had a dreamlike almost numb feeling to it. "Breakout" is more rythmic but maintains the otherworldy tone with some clear influence from KING'S X. "Big Sky Country" is delirium-inducing with some ridiculous reverb, killer guitars and silky hypnotic vocal.

"Calypso" is intense and dramatic, and crammed full of feeling in its wailing vocals and guitars to match; a true siren song calling out to drown you in the harmonies. I would have never imagined that melting Ska and Metal together would work so well but it produces a phenomenal track. "Not a Single Word" is fantistically groovy; one of those tracks that doesn't just move your body, it moves your heart in time with the music. "Panic Attack" shares a name with another great Prog song I love but it isn't nearly as ferocious; more melancholic, reflecting on a life spent under the heel of panic attacks.

"It's Never Enough" shifts gears again but maintains the darker tone that oozes through this album, in contrast to KXM's debut. An undeniable Punk influence is a fantastic addition for this track and the LP as a whole. "True Deceivers" is another standout track that introduces a different experience but is more fluid and slightly romantic in an unexpected way. "Stand" dips more into the Metal spectrum with a supernaturally bleak sound that brings shivers doen your spine. The distortions and milked chords in the final minute are beautiful in how haunting they are.

"Together" cranks things up, opening with staccato drums steadily ramping up the tension before leading into the final track. "Angel", with its quiet, blissful sound, is perhaps the biggest black sheep of the album, but it is a wonderful song all the same. I don't often go for sappy songs, but after the wild roller coaster that is "Scatterbrain", I was glad to decompress a bit.

"Scatterbrain" is aptly named with some huge tonal and acoustic shifts, mingling several genres together into a Prog album that should go down as one of the best this year. I am a big fan of everyone involved here, and while "Scatterbrain" shifts gears several times, it definitely comes in first place for me. Shockingly, I find myself unable to deduct even a single point from this album's score. It definitely shows the influence of other bands and the prior projects of the band mates, but it is so well done that it doesn't feel like it's retreading old successes; it feels like it's paying homage to their own histories and the years of unique experiences that they bring to the table.  Included below is a link to the official video for the title track and I cannot stress how much you need to check it out!