A strange thing has happened with me regarding this disc. Usually I take one side or the other, deep dislike or ecstatic enthusiasm, but with
Kingdom Come's latest, "Perpetual", the feelings harbored towards it are drifting somewhere inbetween. It's neither like or dislike, but rather just boredom and indifference that dominate. But what makes this effort so numbingly nothing?
Well, as you likely know,
Kingdom Come was a band assembled in the 80s and primed for disaster. They were
Led Zeppelin copycats, and vocalist Lenny
Wolf was like an annoying, whiny version of the golden locked rock-god, Robert Plant. When
Wolf wished however, he could make a nice Plant-ish performance and with the thick riffs and catchy tunes,
Kingdom Come offered up a decent debut offering to the plate. They were ribbed for their similarities to that legendary classic rock band, as well as Whitesnake, who also came under fire for Zep-ish flavors in the music, whether deserved or not. Over the years, this band unraveled piece by piece until there really is only Lenny
Wolf left, and he does everything. He writes the music, produces, plays all the instruments, and basically has total control over his vision and direction. Only that direction is all over the map and falling off the charts.
"Perpetual" attempts to blend exotic flavors into a rock'n'roll atmosphere, and the trick might have been convincing if every song had not been composed to sound almost exactly the same. Of course there's plenty to separate them on a more closer inspection, but on the surface, the rhythm is really no different. It's this chugging, mid-tempo thing that seems as if its stuck in sludge and just can't spin out of the quicksand to escape to higher ground. The wheels keep turning, but none of the songs manage to break free from the curse.
Wolf screeches and squirms, his voice twisting and screeching like a cat on a hot tin roof, or warbling like he's seen the end of his life and it was a bitter and depressing one, which fits the downer mood of the music and the plodding tempo.
It's easy to appreciate the brooding lyrics that seem to have been born from the ashes of a hallucinating and distorted recreational drug trip. Strangely, they fit the painted mishmash of sounds they accompany. The instrumentation is strange at times and quite unique, giving the music within a memorable, haunting touch. The overlying problem with the disc however is the similarity in the songs. It seems as if
Wolf found one particular sluggish tempo he liked and identified with and saddled each and every song with it. Sure, it does make the album seem consistent and all, but also makes it persistently irritating after the first few tracks have tread the same tired stomping ground. A splash of exotic sound here and a dash of a darker vibe there are simply not enough of a deviation to be a redeeming saving grace. Near the disc's end, the material begins to bog down in the sludgy swamp of its artsy self importance and stubborn resistance to change.
It's even hard to pick any standouts, although
"Inhaling the Silence" comes to mind since it is mainly acoustic and the rest of the CD is heavier and electric.
"Crown of Moscow" also pops out, being a bit more gentle minded and with a chorus that actually packs a decent melody to lift it out of the doldrums.
"Silhouette Paintings" is much the same. And there's
"King of Nothing" that is only six minutes long but seems to last an eternity. Only relief is felt when this one ends.
"Connecting Time" has some cool riffage, and
"Hang 'em High" seems like its being suspended over a pit of doom.
"Watch the Dragon Fly" has this progressive 70s rock vibe that seems psychedelic and spacey, reminiscent of something by
Pink Floyd perhaps? Lots of drums and thick slabs of guitar riffs fatten up the chorus.
"Gotta Move Now" grooves much like classic
Kingdom Come and introduces some strings for added effect.
"Perpetual" has its own designs and flavor, that being a depressed, plodding, never ending loop of what would be a modern
Led Zeppelin.
Wolf's openness to experiment with other sounds leads to some interesting and even surprising moments. However, the sludge and unchanging tempo of the CD lends the disc a mind-numbing air of sameness. When the mood is right, this atmospheric journey could be right up the alley for a one-off listen and only then if patience is a virtue you possess. But like other discs such as Fates Warning's "A Pleasant Shade of Grey", that revel in the slow, plodding approach and inability to deviate from the chosen starting points, Lenny
Wolf's
Kingdom Come project suffers from having no replay value whatsoever. The grindingly molasses-like pace can only be endured so many times, I would imagine even for the most diehard fan. For those that are only acquainted with
Kingdom Come's radio friendly 80s debut when they were actually a band and not just a single man under a recognizable banner, this will be a sad disappointment indeed. There's not a spark in this dark, which turns it into a boring, pompous mess. Even if you are prepared for the worst, enjoyment is likely fleeting, although a nod must be given to Lenny's talents. He is talented, it's just that "Perpetual" seems to be a waste of those talents.
Written by
Alanna Friday, March 18, 2005
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