Ogre Tones (King's X)

For some reason, some fans have called this 2005 effort the "return to form" for King's X. It was their first album for famous prog label InsideOut Music and Skid Row/Dokken producer Michael Wagener was brought in to produce the piece. Musically, the album features the band's signature brand of groove rock but also manages to throw in a more somber mood overall.

Alone: A whisper delivered by guitarist/vocalist Ty Tabor opens this song and soon turns into a shout as the rest of the band comes in, the verses and pre-choruses continue with a more laid back as vocalist/bassist Doug Pinnick takes over, the two duet for the simple but uplifting chorus, and a heavier breakdown after the second chorus. A fine example of an awesome King's X opener.
9 out of 10

Stay: We now go to an even more laid back style for this tune. It comes in with blues mid-tempo riffs, the verses continue with more suppressed guitars and soulful croons, the chorus offers heavier chords and majestic vocal trade-offs, and the bridge features a few odd vocal effects. A pretty good song.
9 out of 10

Hurricane: Building drums and melodic guitars open this song in a more exotic fashion, the verses continue with more mellow guitars and vocals, the chorus returns to a louder style with a great refrain, and the guitar solo throws in a few neat tricks. Not as powerful as the opening tracks, but still a great song.
8 out of 10

Fly: The verses come in right away with a solid guitar groove and catchy vocal lines, the chorus is another melodic but catchy refrain, the guitar solo gives off a feeling of contentment, and the lyrics are fairly philosophical ("No matter what you do/Always somebody who/Don't understand it"). Could it be the band is comfortable within their underground status?
8 out of 10

If: Another somber groove opens this song nicely, the laid back verses bring in some interesting duets, and the chorus features more drawn out vocal harmonies. A pretty good tune.
8 out of 10

Bebop: One of the heavier tracks on the album. It comes in with a dark Alice In Chains-esque groove that lightens up in time for the verses, the verses bring in almost rapped vocals (It's better than it sounds) and some cool instrumental fills, the chorus features an infectious refrain and an amusing allusion to the famous "Tutti Frutti", the solo section brings in a little more melody, and Pinnick throws in a few effective screams every now and then. An album highlight.
9 out of 10

Honesty: I think you could consider this to be the album's first true ballad. It features simple but sweet accoustic guitar playing, gently sung croons by Tabor, subtle string effects in the background, and some effective layering during the chorus. A good song, though perhaps too mellow for most moods.
7 out of 10

Open My Eyes: Gritty guitar playing opens this song nicely, the verses come in with an unusual groove and interesting vocal trade-offs, and the lyrics are pretty intriguing ("What does it take to get to the point/Where you want to kill someone?"). A good song, though not as flashy as the rockers before it.
8 out of 10

Freedom: Originally a B-side from the "Ear Candy" era, this song offers is another loud track. It comes in with a doomy guitar melody during the introduction, catchy vocal trade-offs dominate the verses, more melodic vocals persist during the pre-choruses and chorus, and the lyrics are laced with amusing satire ("Freedom to pay for a killer to have TV/Freedom to get elected and set my own salary/Freedom to go out and join the KKK/Freedom to get in trouble for everything that I say"). I think the lyrics are enough to make this one a highlight.
9 out of 10

Get Away: Somber guitars and subtle bonjos come in during the introduction, the verses continue with mournful vocal lines, the chorus offers another sweet duet, and the lyrics deal with religious questioning ("Hey, God, I watched the news tonight/Why are your people so fucking mean?"). Don't worry, the music is more serious than that lyric lets on. . .
9 out of 10

Sooner Or Later: Songs longer than five minutes seem to be a rarity in the more recent albums in the King's X catalogue and this tune is certainly no exception. It features a doomy bass heavy throughout, clearly delivered vocals during the verses, another smooth duet during the chorus, and a few spacy guitar parts during the solo section. A pretty neat song that sounds like a more toned down version of Soundgarden's "Slaves and Bulldozers". Okay, there seems to be some kind of rule that says I must mention Soundgarden in every King's X review. I apologize, but the bands do sound similar in a way. . .
8 out of 10

Mudd: An unusual blend of light and shadow dominates this song's guitar riffs, the verses continue with soulful vocals with soaring backing vocals, the chorus continues in a similar style, and the guitar solos feature some echoing segments that remind me of Queen in a way. Another good addition.
8 out of 10

Goldilox (Reprise): A re-recording of a song from "Out Of The Silent Planet". I unfortunately can't compare it to the original (I haven't seen that album in any stores nearby), but this version features sweet melodic guitars, more melancholic croons, and a few heavier segments here and there.
8 out of 10

Bam: Closing the album out is a fairly unsual instrumental. It features a few unsettling guitar squeals and an odd spoken sample. Interesting, but a very weird tune that doesn't offer much musically.
7 out of 10

Overall, this album gets 116 out of 140, 83%, and 4 stars. As usual, King's X's eleventh studio album offers a great set of songs that should please the band's current fans and bring in a few new listeners as well. Sometimes it may be a little too mellow, but I'd add to the Somber Sunday playlist as soon as possible.