Kings' X--An Artistic Success

King's X, the self-titled fourth album by this group, was released in 1992, and was an attempt, in my opinion, to gain some measure of mainstream acceptance for the music recorded by this incredible band. Their first three albums were excellent and widely critically acclaimed, but commercial success and mainstream acceptance had yet to be achieved. Perhaps that's why King's X presents somewhat of a departure from this band's previous work--the music, for the most part is still dense, heavy and lush, but has a more "pop" oriented direction. That doesn't mean that the music on the album can't be classified as metal--it just has a little bit of the metal "edge" smoothed out, with a greater emphasis on melodic structure.

The players on this album and their contributions are as follows:

Doug Pinnick, bass guitars, vocals
Ty Tabor, electric and acoustic guitars, sitar, dulcimer, Concertmate 650
Jerry Gaskill, drums, percussion

The tracks, and a few words about each are as follows:

1. The World Around Me--The album starts with a driving, intense tune that sets the tone for the tracks to follow. The music of King's X can be described as "dense" texture-wise, and this effect is created by the twelve-string bass guitar played by Doug Pinnick. It provides plenty of "bottom" and gives the other players a nice platform upon which to add their instrumentations. Ty Tabor's guitar riffs, and the frantic drum pattern set up by Jerry Gaskill make this song work.

2. Prisoner--Another catchy guitar riff drives this tune, and Pinnick's big bass guitar again provides that rich texture. The background vocals by Tabor and Gaskill nicely compliment the rough vocal delivery of Pinnick. He really sounds inspired here, and his effort is really soulful. Tabor's solo is arching, melodic and lightning fast.

3. The Big Picture--This song could be classified as a ballad, even though it does have its' heavy moments, with a repeated guitar riff set against the twelve-string bass. Pisnnick and Tabor share lead vocals on this one, and the contrast in Tabor's delicate vocal style and the rough, straight-ahead style of Pinnick is quite poignant. Tabor's electronic solo sounds moving, but Gaskill's bass drum in the background moves it along.

4. Lost In Germany--An unforgettable guitar riff drives this song--you can almost picture the joy that this band is experiencing when they play it. The riff and the harmonies are taut, and create a tension in the music that is apparent. The lyrics of this some are somewhat rhetorical, and deserve a close listen. There are a lot of "pregnant pauses" in the song which make create the sense of expectancy that the players are trying to project.

5. Chariot Song--The same sense of joy exudes from this tune--Pinnick's lead vocals sound a little wistful, and his twelve-string bass makes another appearance to give this song a lot of bottom. The background vocals add just the right accompaniment--whoever was at the mixing board on this one really showed just the right amount of taste and restraint. The song is "big", but it stays within the confines of the concept of this album.

6. Ooh Song--This song reminds me a little of the "old" King's X--it's pure metal, with a lush texture that is the trademark of this band. The vocals are again superb, and Pinnick's bass provides the perfect foil for Tabor's expansive guitar solo.

7. Not Just For The Dead--The sitar and dulcimer give this song a Morrocan or Indian feel. It has a metaphysical message about life and death delivered by Tabor and Pinnick, and the players manage to meld this message with the unusual stringed instruments and their heavy style of music to create a song that almost defies description. It's really an odd piece that deserves a very close inspection.

8. What I Know About Love--Pinnick's big bass guitar and Tabor's dropped D tuning set up a plodding riff that creates a lot of space in which for the players to improvise. This is Pinnick's best vocal performance on the album, and the background vocals again tastefully compliment him. Tabor's guitar solo ply the lower and upper ends of the scales in a really spectacular performance.

9. Black Flag--This song is a perfect example of knocking the metal edge off and adding a touch of "pop". The melody is catchy, the riff created by the bass guitar and electric guitar is a nice hook, and almost anyone can sing along with it. Even though it's aimed directly at the mainstream, I like the song as well as anything on the album. The singing is good, and has just enough blues inflections to save it from the "pop" category. Really an irrepressible tune.

10. Dream In My Life--Another song with balladic overtones--it has a really pretty melody, and Tabor's vocals accent the delicacy of the arrangement. The bridge gives us another glimpse of that heavy twelve-string bass guitar bottom, and Pinnick takes over on lead vocals to accentuate the change in musical texture. Tabor again shines with a sonic guitar solo.

11. Silent Wind--Syncopated drums pitted against the bass and electric guitar riffs tell the story of this tune. The listener could easily get lost in the time changes that are in this song, but the players easily find a good groove. Great guitar work by Tabor and excellent lead and backing vocals layered upon the syncopated beat make this song unique, and a thoroughly fine note upon which to end the album.

Devoted King's X fans were probably disappointed that this album didn't propel this band directly to the top. It may have been a commercial shortcoming, but the album was an artistic success, even though it marked a departure of sorts by King's X from their typical musical style. I highly recommend this album for anyone who likes good music and intricate arrangements.