Wow, these guys have GOT to get some better management/promotion people – three weeks from release date and I just happened to check their website to find that the new King’s X album, XV, will be in stores May 20. What is going on with that? No mailing list to keep fans informed of what’s going on, few updates on the website . . . this is a recipe for exactly the situation the band finds itself in where it feels like the industry has shunned it and the listening public has forgotten it. I can’t place the blame entirely on them, we all know how crappy the industry treats musicians, but that’s when bands like this need to pick up the threads and knit themselves a strong community. And King’s X has had a very strong community of fans backing them for as long as I’ve been on the internet. They just haven’t figured out how to exploit it the way that other similarly small, niche-oriented bands (King Crimson, Marillion) have. King’s X is still stuck relying on word of mouth at a time when word of mouth just isn’t good enough – especially when there are so many reliable, cheap alternatives. Fans WANT to help. Let them.
That said, it’s time to place orders – because unless you’re in one of those lucky cities that will stock this, you’re going to be hitting Amazon like I am. And while there, scroll down and check out the early preview mp3s that have been posted. This album sounds like it is going to kick ass.
(And look at that – while on that page what do I find but a second “Dug” Pinnick solo album that I had no idea existed. What did I tell you about no promotion? These guys are digging their own holes, I’m sad to say. This music is way too good to be this ignored, but they’re doing it to themselves.)