King's X - XV CD review

We all know what to expect from King's X ... sure, they have grown, and that is natural with any band. Only two major detours have taken place in their career – the heavily grinding Tape Head, which tended to lack the lush sophistication that we know them for, and Please Come Home Mr. Bulbous, which was almost a little too out there to be a King’s X record. But with their days of commercialism and experimentation, which was widely done on their own terms, behind them, the power trio still possesses their trademark harmonies, the hooks, and the tight grooves.

With XV (wow, has it been fifteen records already?) the sound of the rumbling twelve-string bass finds itself amongst a regular four-string, a multi-textured production is hammered out (Michael Wagener is behind the board again for this one), and the songwriting pool is as diverse as it has ever been; still, the band is expanding its sound, writing a new chapter instead of re-dubbing something from the past.

The album opens up with the soulful “Pray,” which is a typical King’s X tune, grinding with melodic hard rock glory and powerful emotion…yet the next track, “Blue,” is a laid-back bluesy number, exposing the band’s knack for diversifying their sound – and that is what is what XV is all about. You have elements of hard-edged power pop with the straightforward and rockin’ “Alright,” darkened metal on both “Rocket Ship” and “Go Tell Somebody,” funkified prog with “Move,” as well as psychedelic tendencies on “Stuck;” where elements of their simplistic pop sweet-tooth tends to compliment the nuances that make up the record, instead of completely dominating it.

XV is a solid rock and roll record which still sees the band as one of the finest hard rock/metal acts around. Everybody holds up well – Pinnick’s vocals are at their finest, Tabor really stands out with some of the solos on this album, burning the axe, and Gaskill’s drumming is at its utmost technical and skillful – this might not be Gretchen Goes to Nebraska or Faith, Hope, & Love, but it’s certainly a King’s X record. (Inside Out Music) – Review by Tommy "Hashman" Hash

(Click on the CD cover to buy XV from Amazon.com