Ogre Tones

2005 - InsideOut Music Official Site

Review by Rob Kern 

When I first received my copy of Ogre Tones in the mail, I admit I sat it on the table and warily eyed it for about 25 minutes before slapping it in the CD player.  You see, King’s X had become an unfortunate casualty of my 3-Strikes law.  When an artist churns out 3 releases in a row that fail to stimulate my ears, they go on my “I-used-to-be-a-fan” list.  The past 5 years have seen a one-two-three combo in Please Come… Home Mr. Bulbous/Manic Moonlight/Black Like Sunday that left me wondering what had happened to the band I loved.  It seemed as if the energy and passion of their earlier work had ebbed and I had relegated them to the sidelines with other bands that had passed their prime. 

I’m more than pleased to say that Ty Tabor, dUg (that’s right, it’s no longer Doug) Pinnick and Jerry Gaskill have proved me wrong and I’m happily pulling King’s X off the bench and giving them back their starting position thanks to Ogre Tones.  Easily their best release in 10 years, “Alone” kicks things off, letting the listener know that the groove is back and King’s X are locked in and full of the thick catchy riffs that made past efforts memorable.  Tunes like the catchy (and aptly timed) “Hurricane”, “Get Away” and “Freedom” show that the King’s X creative fire hasn’t ebbed.  Whether you are a fan of pounding dUg rockers, “Open My Eyes”, or Ty-fronted tunes, “Honesty”, you have plenty of solid tunes at hand to enjoy. 

Musically, the album fits into the Ear Candy era, which also is the last record produced or co-produced by an outside ear.  Michael Wagener takes the helm for Ogre Tones and helps dial in the band, resulting in a filler-free release.  If the past few King’s X efforts have not been your cup of tea, grab yourself a copy of Ogre Tones and prepare to welcome King’s X back to the frontlines. 

Rating: 86/100