In an age that was polarised between vapid glam metal and a thrash scene hell bent on destruction, King’s X made for a strange proposition. Originally signed to Megaforce Records (a subsidiary of Atlantic), their uplifting brand of metal sounded like nothing else on the label (or, indeed, anything else) yet this uniqueness made them shine all the brighter. Their first six albums were influential in shaping alternative rock, grunge and progressive metal, and they get collated as In The New Age – The Atlantic Recordings 1988-1995, a six-disc set that stands testament to one of rock’s most inspiring bands.
Disc One: Out Of The Silent Planet (1988)
Such was the critical buzz surrounding Out Of The Silent Planet that you’d be forgiven for thinking King’s X were an overnight success (Kerrang! magazine awarded the album pole position in their Top Albums Of 1988 list). In fact, they formed as The Edge in 1979 (followed by a name change to Sneak Preview, before settling on King’s X in ‘85) and spent several years toiling in an assortment of clubs and bars. The summation of years of hard graft, rarely did a debut come as fully formed (or original) as this record and while the band might have been an oddball on Megaforce, the central riff to opener ‘In The New Age’ could trade punches with the best of them. There’s something about the reduced numbers of a three-piece band that, when played right, brings heaviness to the fore and ‘In The New age’ swings from speaker to speaker like a huge wrecking ball. However, out of night comes day and the following ‘Goldilox’ is punctuated by huge white spaces, and this shifting dynamic between loud and quiet will echo throughout this album (and, in fact, the band’s whole discography).
In addition to bassist Doug Pinnick, who provided most of the lead vocals, Kings X were blessed with two wonderful harmonisers in guitarist Ty Tabor and drummer Jerry Gaskill (both of who sometimes sang lead). Ty and Jerry’s angelic tones provide a nice contrast with Doug’s rasp and the three in tandem add to the band’s multi-layered, richly textured sound. Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell and Rex Brown cited the album as a big influence, and you can definitely hear the seeds of Cowboys From Hell in tracks such as ‘King’ and ‘What Is This?’. Unfortunately, the critical appraisal never transferred into record sales and Out Of The Silent Planet barely dented the Billboard Charts. That was partly due to the album’s intellectual nature (its title is taken from a novel by C.S. Lewis) and its lyrics, more attuned to personal reflection, seemed wholly out of place in the hedonistic 1980s. But while much music from the ‘80s sounds rooted in that decade and very much of its time, this record has a timeless quality that it’ll still sound fresh many years hence.
Disc Two: Gretchen Goes To Nebraska (1989)
In many ways Gretchen Goes To Nebraska can be seen as an extension of its predecessor (the title of opening track is taken from that album), but the King’s X on this release are far more confident and are finely honing their signature sound. It becomes immediately obvious why this record became a cornerstone of the progressive metal genre, and ‘Out Of The Silent Planet’ is the musical equivalent of opening a door to a magical world. Based upon a story written by drummer Jerry Gaskill, Gretchen Goes To Nebraska is a concept album and the loose lyrical thread that runs throughout stitches the album together rather well, and means it flows smoother that Silent Planet. This record found the trio expanding their repertoire by including a wider range of instrumentation to include sitar, wooden flute, dulcimer and pipe organ, and the result is a feast for the ears that veritably bubbles and fizzes.
One contemporary review referred to the band as a “heavy metal Beatles” (but, thankfully, King’s X never wrote a ‘Yellow Submarine’) and that’s a fairly apt description. King’s X have a sound that counterpoints exquisite harmonies with Ty’s D-tuned guitars, and there’s an otherworldly, psychedelic tinge to cuts such as ‘Mission’ and ‘The Burning Down’. Yet, the band bring an American edge in the shape of soul, gospel and funk and, when melded to the sounds of the British invasion, makes for an intriguing proposition. Alternating between rockers and slower tunes means Gretchen ebbs and flows perfectly with the raucous ‘Over My Head’ nestling next to the ballad ‘Summerland’ (both of which received rotation on MTV) and the thunderous ‘Fall On Me’ making hay with the thoughtful ‘Pleiades’. Despite (or maybe in spite of) a high-profile tour supporting thrashers Anthrax, a forward facing musicianship and deep lyrical content Gretchen failed to set the world alight. However, it was a creative peak, setting the template for prog metal and cementing the band as “musician’s musicians”.
Disc Three: Faith Hope Love (1990)
The band’s third album in three years, Faith Hope Love had a lot to live up to after Gretchen Goes To Nebraska, and while it came close to reaching those heady heights, it falls a little short. Things get off to a great start with the snappy opener ‘We Are Finding Who We Are’ and gets even better with the album’s lead single ‘It’s Love’. However, the following ‘I’ll Never Get Tired Of You’ and the album’s other ballad ‘Everywhere I Go’ bring nothing new to the table, and create a strong sense of déjà vu. In some ways this album feels rushed and some judicial pruning would have been beneficial, and with a 60-minute running time, that was perfectly feasible. Dropping a few of the weaker songs (‘Mr Wilson’, ‘Talk To You’) and slimming down the lengthy title track would have left a snappier, more direct offering. Nevertheless, Faith Hope Love contains more good than bad, ‘Moanjam’ is a blistering rocker that won over many a crowd on the band’s stadium tour with AC/DC, and the epilepsy-inducing ending to ‘We Were Born To Be Loved’ displays a chemistry that verges on telepathy. But, the one element that Faith Hope Love lacks is consistency; it tends to hit its stride, then trips over a weaker song. Yet, the album’s commercial edge and “Summer Of Love” vibe struck a chord with the record buying public, and gave the band their highest ever Billboard placing (reaching a giddy 85). If you equate chart placing with success, then Faith Hope Love was, but creatively it was lacking.
Disc Four: King’s X (1992)
An eponymously-titled album is usually reserved for a debut or to signify a rebirth, and in the case of King’s X, it was definitely the latter. After losing their way with the carefree (and slightly careless) Faith Hope Love, King’s X’s fourth album found the band regrouping to produce a tighter, more focused effort. Containing 11 tracks, and none over six minutes, King’s X feels ripped and lean; anything extraneous has been removed and the band’s energies have been focused into a tight laser beam. That new found vitality is most evident on first track ‘The World Around Me’; gone are the elongated intros to be replaced by a riff that awakes the listener like an early morning alarm. It’s as if King’s X have had a vitamin shot and are playing with the kind of vim and vigour that powered their debut album; Doug’s vocals are more versatile, Ty’s solos are lengthier, and Jerry’s drums hit harder.
While there’s been no radical change to the band’s sound, it may take a while for the casual fan to retune their ears to King’s X. Those beautiful harmonies and swirling neo-psychedelia are still in evidence (like the lovely Indian flourishes on ‘Not Just For The Dead’), yet they’ve been pushed towards the back while a gritty groove has been brought to the fore. Lyrically too, has found a change and the abstract nature of Gretchen has been swapped for a realism. The band still grapple with their Christian faith, but it feels they’re now approaching from a different angle; it is no longer a central tenet and subsequently King’s X is a rounded, 360 degree listen. With its darker aesthetic, King’s X was something of a transitional record and signposts what would come later in their career, but that in no way negates its power and King’s X is a worthy addition to their discography.
Disc 5: Dogman (1994)
King’s X found the band stepping up to Atlantic Records roster, who also released 1994’s Dogman. Hitting the streets at the height of the grunge movement, Dogman was very much influenced by that scene. Many metal bands jumped on that bandwagon, rarely did it work out well and many of those albums (think Metallica’s Load and Reload) now sound dated and…naff. Maybe it was because they influenced the movement, but King’s X made the transition effortlessly and Dogman has an authenticity that many of their peers lacked. Whether their stylistic shift was natural or due to record company pressure is open to speculation, but in many ways this album feels a continuation of Kings X. Their sound is further parred back and now you can see the bones peeking through taunt tracks such as opener ‘Dogman’ and the punchy ‘Black The Sky’. Where once the band’s sound was full and lustrous, now ‘Black The Sky’, belying its title, employs huge spaces which let light flood in.
For Dogman King’s X dispensed with the services of long-term producer and manager Sam Taylor, now employing the services of Brendan O’Brien in the production chair. With a CV that included the likes of Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots, its no surprise that Dogman has a grungy sound. There’s plenty of fuzz on Ty’s guitar while Jerry’s drum have that hard but hollow sound. But this being King’s X, their strong personalities shine through, and the band playing ‘Sunshine Rain’ couldn’t be anyone but King’s X. Bolstered by two live bonus tracks, and it’s a live rendition of ‘We Were Born To Be Loved’ that provides the real epiphany. Those neat time changes on the studio version (to be found on Faith Hope Love) are one thing, but live they’re totally spellbinding and they certainly mess with the crowd. An often-overlooked album, but well worth checking out.
Disc Six: Ear Candy (1996)
The bright psychedelic sleeve which houses this album promised a return to the bands earlier sound, yet Ear Candy finds Kings X forging further into the realms of alternative rock. Of course, that’s no bad thing, especially when played by three talented and inventive musicians, yet by filtering out all their artistic tendencies we’re left with a pretty standard run-of-the-mill record. Swirling psychedelic metal is what’s on offer here, and not much else which means there’s no standout cuts, as on previous albums. From opening shot ‘The Train’ to closer ‘Life Going By’, all the 13 tracks tend to blend into each other. ‘Sometimes’ does a good Hendrix impression, but not even Arnold Lanni’s production can shake the album out of its malaise. This was to be the band’s last album for Atlantic, and it does have the feel of a contract filler and while it still has sparks of old, it never really moves out of average territory.
For some strange reason, Kings X never achieved the success that their talent deserved. With their exquisite Beatle-like harmonies floating over a mixture of metal, funk and soul, it seemed that the world was their oyster yet, for whatever reason, the trappings of fame avoided them. It seems that even classic rock radio has forgotten and airwave-friendly songs such as ‘Over My Head’ are constantly overlooked. That’s a shame because, as the six albums that comprise this set prove, they deserve so much more.
- In The New Age – The Atlantic Years 1988-1996 is released via Cherry Red/HNE Recordings on 28th April 2023 (from here).
- Official Website
Disc One: Out Of The Silent Planet (1988)
1. In The New Age
2. Goldilox
3. Power Of Love
4. Wonder
5. Sometimes
6. King
7. What Is This?
8. Far, Far Away
9. Shot Of Love
10. Visions
Disc Two: Gretchen Goes To Nebraska (1989)
1. Out Of the Silent Planet
2. Over My Head
3. Summerland
4. Everybody Knows a Little Bit of Something
5. The Difference (In the Garden of St. Anne’s-On-The- Hill)
6. I’ll Never Be the Same
7. Mission
8. Fall On Me
9. Pleiades
10. Don’t Believe It (It’s Easier Said Than Done)
11. Send A Message
12. The Burning Down
Bonus Track:
13. Shot Of Love (Acoustic Version)
Disc Three: Faith Hope Love (1990)
1. We Are Finding Who We Are
2. It’s Love
3. I’ll Never Get Tired of You
4. Fine Art of Friendship
5. Mr Wilson
6. Moanjam
7. Six Broken Soldiers
8. I Can’t Help It
9. Talk To You
10. Everywhere I Go
11. We Were Born to Be Loved
12. Faith Hope Love
13. Legal Kill
Bonus Track:
14. Six Broken Soldiers (Extended Version)
Disc Four: King’s X (1992)
1. The World Around Me
2. Prisoner
3. The Big Picture
4. Lost In Germany
5. Chariot Song
6. Ooh Song
7. Not Just for The Dead
8. What I Know About Love
9. Black Flag
10. Dream In My Life
11. Silent Wind
Bonus track:
12. Dream In My Life (Edit)
Disc Five: Dogman (1994)
1. Dogman
2. Shoes
3. Pretend
4. Flies And Blue Skies
5. Black The Sky
6. Fool You
7. Don’t Care
8. Sunshine Rain
9. Complain
10. Human Behavior
11. Cigarettes
12. Go To Hell
13. Pillow
14. Manic Depression
Bonus Tracks:
15. Shoes (Live)
16. We Were Born to Be Loved (Live)
Disc Six: Ear Candy (1996)
1. The Train
2. (Thinking And Wondering) What I’m Gonna Do
3. Sometime
4. A Box
5. Looking For Love
6. Mississippi Moon
7. 67
8. Lies In the Sand (The Ballad Of…)
9. Run
10. Fathers
11. American Cheese (Jerry’s Piano)
12. Picture
13. Life Going By
Bonus Track:
14. Freedom (B-Side)
