Okay so this is as pure as alterno-metal (or whatever you want to call it) gets. Pinnick and co transcend all trends, ascend above all genre and just flow over the boundaries to far away planets. Kings X released a batch of classy records (this is their second) which existed outside of the box in the same way, but on the other, darker side, Faith No More did. Imagine a funk fuelled (real funk though!) cauldron of uplifting colours, innovative angst and beauty, and musicianship of the highest order but whether you can take it all in is another matter. Living Colour, The Organization, Fishbone, Prince, Kravitz, Beatles, FNM, total progressive rock that strides outside of the metal zone and stands alone. 'Over My Head' is the cosy crowd pleaser, a potential chart topper with its sassy rhythm and 'Everybody Knows A Little Bit Of Something' has that Fishbone vibe in its summery stature. Pinnick is a soulful entity whose vocals glide over the structures, creating wondrous soundscapes which somehow, in their accessibility, remain inaccessible, the layers stripped away to reveal so many further levels of intricate and sugary nature. The mood of 'Summerland' reminds me of Tracy Chapman somehow! 'Pleiades' floats as a mesmerising vapour into a Beatle-esque psych laced with a dark riff. It's all so majestic in its maturity, these guys no spring chickens but a group who clearly assembled on some unseen cloud and planned their invasion of Earth via the creation of album. 'The Burning Down' is a cosmic fantasy a track whilst 'Mission' zones in on an organ wheeze that melts into a spaced out psych guitar. Too clever for sure, but Kings X couldn't exist in any other way. Be brave and give it a try....we promise a lovely journey.8/10
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