KingBathmat
Overcoming the Monster
Stereohead Records
2013
KingBathmat is a psychedelic/progressive/alternative rock band from Hastings in England. The band have now released seven albums: “Son of a Nun” (2003), “Crowning Glory” (2004), “Fantastic Freak Show Carnival” (2005), “Blue Sea, Black Heart” (2008), “Gravity Field” (2009), “Truth Button” (2012) and most recently “Overcoming the Monster” (2013).
Throughout their career, KingBathmat have tried to combine progressive and psychedelic rock music with post-grunge and stoner rock. This is more or less the case with “Overcoming the Monster”. In other words one can find heavy guitars that resemble a typical song by bands like Hinder, followed by psychedelic Eloy-sounding keyboards (“Superfluous”, the 4th track, is a perfect example of that). There are people who criticize them for not being psychedelic enough or not heavy enough, but in my opinion it’s this combination which makes their sound somewhat more interesting than other progressive or heavy rock bands out there. I mean I’d rather listen to a band which experiments with their sound than a clear cut progressive or stoner rock band.
But, in my mind, even though their intentions are good and admirable, does the combination of these seemingly totally different sounds work out to a good result? To tell you the truth, I couldn’t say. There are some really interesting songs in “Overcoming the Monster” that flow nicely from one genre to the next, but there are others in which the transitions are at times a bit abrupt. What I mean is that, to my ears, they sound like two or more different songs forcefully combined together, rather than a single concrete unit. Some examples of the first group are “Parasomnia” and “Superfluous”. However, I find that “Overcoming the Monster” and “Kubrick’s Moon” fall into the latter category.
At the end of the day “Overcoming the Monster” has its faults, but it’s not a bad record. It’s not “suitable”, however for die-hard fans of heavy or progressive rock. To be honest, I don’t think that KingBathmat were ever aiming at that group.
Throughout their career, KingBathmat have tried to combine progressive and psychedelic rock music with post-grunge and stoner rock. This is more or less the case with “Overcoming the Monster”. In other words one can find heavy guitars that resemble a typical song by bands like Hinder, followed by psychedelic Eloy-sounding keyboards (“Superfluous”, the 4th track, is a perfect example of that). There are people who criticize them for not being psychedelic enough or not heavy enough, but in my opinion it’s this combination which makes their sound somewhat more interesting than other progressive or heavy rock bands out there. I mean I’d rather listen to a band which experiments with their sound than a clear cut progressive or stoner rock band.
But, in my mind, even though their intentions are good and admirable, does the combination of these seemingly totally different sounds work out to a good result? To tell you the truth, I couldn’t say. There are some really interesting songs in “Overcoming the Monster” that flow nicely from one genre to the next, but there are others in which the transitions are at times a bit abrupt. What I mean is that, to my ears, they sound like two or more different songs forcefully combined together, rather than a single concrete unit. Some examples of the first group are “Parasomnia” and “Superfluous”. However, I find that “Overcoming the Monster” and “Kubrick’s Moon” fall into the latter category.
At the end of the day “Overcoming the Monster” has its faults, but it’s not a bad record. It’s not “suitable”, however for die-hard fans of heavy or progressive rock. To be honest, I don’t think that KingBathmat were ever aiming at that group.