Kingdom Come – Outlier
Steamhammer/SPV
All Access Review: B+
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| Kingdom Come - Outlier 2013 |
He is, in essence, now a lone Wolf – that’s Lenny Wolf, as in the mastermind behind Kingdom Come. As in the band that was first
mistaken for Led Zeppelin in 1988 and then savaged by critics for sounding a
little too much like them on the single “Get it On,” as well as on the
self-titled debut album from whence came the track in question. As in the band
that some waggish scribes dubbed “Kingdom Clone” and was taken to task by none
other than Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page as rip-off artists and forgers.
That was a quarter century ago, and while they still
unapologetically wear their ‘70s hard-rock influences on the project’s tattered
sleeves, Kingdom Come – basically, a solo project for Wolf these days, seeing
as how he produced, engineered, mixed and mastered Outlier, in addition to playing all the instruments, with the exception
of Eric Forster’s guitar solos – isn’t inextricably bound to them. Wolf has
come into his own as a recording artist, becoming more assured as a songwriter and
sonic architect. And his designs are more dramatic and impactful than ever.
Dark and moody, with Wolf often looking inward for
lyrical inspiration and his passionate, slightly worn voice a blazing beacon, the sprawling Outlier – out now on Steamhammer/SPV – is awash
in murky atmospherics, its expansive soundscapes stretching out far and wide on
“Don’t Want You to Wait” and “When Colors Break the Grey.” The sweeping epic “Rough
Ride Rallye” practically lives in Wolf’s shadowy synthesizers before growing in
a full-blown supernova. Another silvery, cinematic production, with tendrils of
distortion floating through the air, “God Does Not Sing Our Song” is similarly cast,
enveloped in billowing guitar blackness and angelic melodies. Far more rugged,
though just as starry and cosmic, “Running High Distortion” drives on through the
night with drums bashing away and guitars flashing like lightning. These are beautiful
sonic constellations, almost divine in their own way.
However, there is no God in “Let the Silence Talk”
or the slow-burning, ballad-like “Holy Curtain,” both of them constructed
according to more standard, earthbound metal blueprints. And with “Skip the
Cover and Feel,” Wolf decides he can no longer keep his love for Zeppelin
hidden, turning a gritty blues riffs inside-out, much as Jimmy Page once did,
before a melodic flood rushes in. Outlier
is a stylish album – even heavy, hook-filled hitters like “Such a Shame” and “The
Trap is Alive” have their moments of dreamy transcendence, although the verses
of the latter are somewhat clumsy in their movements.
Solidly built and ambitious, Outlier has a smoky quality and pulse-quickening tempos that make
it perfect for moonlit caravans in fast convertibles. In the harsh light of
day, few of its tracks beat their chests and demand to be singled out, but Outlier certainly is pretty and full of meaningful reflections on life and love. The echoes
of past criticisms aimed at Kingdom Come are starting to fade.
- – Peter Lindblad
