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KingBathmat: Overcoming the Monster

Progressive Rock/Metal

4.5/5.0

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Stereohead Records
by Craig Hartranft,  07.17.2013

English progmeisters KingBathmat seem to be on a roll or, at the very least, have a fountain of music gurgling in their collective musical pool. Their seventh studio album, Overcoming the Monster follows just a year after the popular Truth Button.

KingBathmat:: sorry, same picture as before.

Overcoming the Monster picks up were the previous album left off, musically speaking, offering KingBathmat's blend of classic prog with everything from space rock to grunge to alternative to prog metal. Lyrically, the offer another concept, potentially not as abstract and arcane as they have been in the past. It's has something to do with overcoming the psychological obstacles, monsters of the mind, both internal (like insecurities) and external (like media pressure) which manipulate our perceptions and hold us back. Take a breath. Having only the lyrics for Sentinel, found at Bandcamp, it's hard to judge whether the concept has been accomplished.

But, alternatively, a prog addict might set aside this aspect of Overcoming the Monster, and just dig the groovy shenanigans going on within. They will be happy. With all the aforementioned elements, KingBathmat never does anything half way. Every song is jammed packed with twists and turns, moments of aural epicness to metal heaviness to slithering subtle, to keep the prog wonk mesmerized. Sometimes this can happen in the span of a brief few minutes like at the end of Superfluous. Or hardly at all, with Kubrik Moon which traces mostly an ethereal airy path from beginning to end, and ends up sounding mostly like early prog.

I don't know what kind of success KingBathmat has had in their native country or around the world for that matter. But if your looking for one of best modern interpretations of classic progressive rock, KingBathmat and Overcoming the Monster is hidden gem. Easily recommended.

KingBathmat - Sentinel

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

If your looking for one of best modern interpretations of classic progressive rock, KingBathmat and Overcoming the Monster is clearly premier and entertaining music. Easily recommended

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The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]