XV

King's X

Prog Related

3.47 | 53 ratings

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The T
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator

KING'S X latest record is highly enjoyable, if not exactly highly memorable.

The music in this record, as it has been the norm as of late, sounds distinctly like blues-oriented hard-rock at times, and it just hints of metal every now and then. To have an idea of how "XV" sounds like, think of a D'Virgilio-era SPOCK'S BEARD: hard rock with just some minor progressive leanings. What differentiates both bands is that while the former show their progressive roots very frequently in longer-than-average songs, KING'S X never reaches for that extra notch in complexity or track duration and always stays within the safe limits of hard-rock. Verse-chorus-verse structures are the rule with almost no exception.

The playing is ok. The vocals are a little rough but somewhat powerful, if not exactly impressive. The musicianship is good, but the music never really demands a lot of the instrumentalists nor does it put a lot of pressure upon their shoulders. Basically, songs sound like they have been carefully crafted and created, but there's never that hint of "genius" that other bands' music seems to burst of.

In my opinion, the best song in the album, the one with the most energy and groove is "Move". "Pray", the opener, is entertaining, as is pretty much every other song in "XV". The problem is that when time comes to name a highlight, is quite difficult to choose one, not because all of them are so brilliant, but because none of them is actually that memorable.

In the end, the album is good for a drive or for listening when there's no need for difficult music. Entertaining, very competently done, the album receives 3 stars. I think that KING'S X entire discography is one big chain of 3-star discs. Never awful, never brilliant.

The T | 3/5 | 2008-9-20

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