MANSLAUGHTER THUG LIFE: PALACE OF THE KING

Mittwoch, 2. August 2017

PALACE OF THE KING - "VALLES MARINERIS" (2016)

PALACE OF THE KING - "VALLES MARINERIS"
(Running time: 46:11 minutes; 10 Songs)
("Listenable Records"; CD; 2016):

And yes guys, the next one is already coming up. Two reasons: (1.) I'm sort of in the flow and 100% in the right mood to do another one; (2.) I'm pretty sure that the next two days will no (at least or especially no proper, valuable) new post come up. The summer's school vacation's are over here in Lower Saxony/Germany with today being the final day of the six weeks long vacation time after yesterday was our first "teachers only" workday to do the final plannings of the new school-year and tomorrow it all starts the proper way. Experience tells me that especially the first two days are always pretty busy and so I am pretty sure that especially the next two days won't see any activity up here; and to be honest, after I'm currently sort of "re-building" an own house where I want to live from next year on and having also finally weekend again you maybe shouldn't expect any new post up here before sunday (but latest then something new will pretty sure see the light of day up here, I'll be doing my best). Okay, and enough of the introducing-nonsense-smalltalk and now finally straight into the action: PALACE OF THE KING were unknown to me before I bought this very album of them last year; "VALLES MARINERIS" was released via "LISTENABLE RECORDS" last year in 2016 at the 15th of July and was/is for all what I know the third full-length.album (and two EP's they have also released) of this australian band from the continent Down Under. I stumbled upon them finally because of some interesting reviews that I've read, then bought "VALLES MARINERIS" some beautiful, sunny summer day... and damn it, that certain day turned even more beautiful. This is a heavy load of damn great (Classic) Rock music with a strong 1970's vibe and heavy Psychedelia influences and impressions and marks in it and this all done in a totally fantastic way, absoultely fresh, young, with much drive, full force, and strongly alive/lively, amazing, so that any sort of lame and stale retro bullshit is in the case of PALACE OF THE KING's "VALLES MARINERIS" absolutely of no concern. That's always good and that's how I like it. Thumbs up. This is Hard Rock par excellence, with heavy grooves and bright shining melodies and intense rhythm structures and "hooky" arrangements being the centrepieces of this strong and beefy rocking and grooving colossal album. Warm and heavy "hammondy" floating and wafting keyboards and strong and diverse, heavy yet very heartfelt-emotional guitars and their awesome melodic interaction mark the songs heavily and also in a very positive way. The massive and at the same time relaxed-casually grooving bass work enriches the songs heavily, while the versatile and by any positive means "fluffy" drumming then finally cultivates it all in a tremendeous way. And above all flies the outstanding shining and very unique, impressive lead singing voice while it's sheathing it all brilliantly, it is a pure gem that makes this whole album "only" shine more. It's all done just great and also in a very stand-alone way. The songwriting is very strong, diverse, versatile, and a fresh and rousing groove is sort of a total"trademark" of the songs and the music and the arrangements and the rhythmic architecture; and it's all really just grapping and exciting. That this guys really know how to play needs no further explanation at this point anymore. If you now want to know any "comparing-fix-points", hm, then let us say that you find PALACE OF THE KING and their "VALLES MARINERIS" somewhere on a very independently position between their australian neighbors WOLFMOTHER, the almighty DEEP PURPLE, and the current "hot-going" BLUES PILLS, and maybe add here and there some few HAWKWIND and LED ZEPPELIN and some very few PINK FLOYD, maybe...; yes, I think somewhere in the centre of all this musical-greatness you'll find PALACE OF THE KING and they definitely stand their ground. My personal favorites are "LET THE BLOOD RUN FREE", "BEYOND THE VALLEY", "THE BRIDGE OF THE GODS", "WE ARE THE VAMPIRES", "THROW ME TO THE WOLVES", and my absolute-über-favorite-song "INTO THE BLACK".Great, interesting and cool lyrics, a totally fantastic artwork, and a warm, earthy, and flickering production-sound finally round it all up. All in all, what's left to say? Beside that this is highly recommended and that you should (finally) test it out asap or better buy it instantly, hm, not much else, okay, so yes, get it. A great, great album!!!

(9 of 10 points)

http://palaceofthekingmusic.com/ (-the link to the band's homepage)