KingBathmat – Truth Button (2013)

Arriving from the UK, today we have KingBathmat and their excellent release “Truth Button”. Invoking Progressive Rock greats like Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Flower Kings, etc., this band delivers six excellent tracks filled will beautifully carved melodies and surprises in every corner. Not just being a copy of said bands, KingBathmat manages to fuse some Grunge with Experimental Rock elements and a dash of Psychedelic rock, crafting a very trippy and technically proficient sound.

Opening with “Behind The Wall”, we can instantly listen how the band’s Grungy guitars perfectly blend with space-age keyboards similar to Spock’s Beard and such bands. The heavy guitar sound nicely contrasts the lush vocals and overall mood, creating a very powerful and melancholic sound. Fully warmed up, “Abintra” keeps the mood flowing with very harmonious vocals and a funky bass guitar line. This song also has very playful psychedelic undertones that elevate the atmosphere of this track.

The playful “Book of Faces” is one of our favorite tracks in this release thanks to its excellent transitions and very effective guitar work. This track indeed is a bit more experimental than the first two, and gives the band’s sound a wider spectrum to explore. “The End of Evolution” retakes the Progressive Rock road with playful keyboards and a very ethereal feeling. The band does a great job in crafting intricate melodies that are very lush and well developed. Not a single thing in this release is overdone, showing the great quality of KingBathmat’s music.

In a truly experimental fashion, “Dives and Pauper” is filled with odd elements that greatly come together in this very creative song. From the catchy chorus section to the music box-like sound, this song has a little bit of everything put together in a very engaging manner. The monolithic closer “Coming To Terms With Morality in the Face of Insurmountable Odds”, brings this release full-circle with a brilliant traditional Prog song filled with lush vocals and majestic keyboards. The tempo of the song gradually increases, guiding the listener through this excellent musical experience.

As a whole, “Truth Button” is one of the best Progressive releases we have reviewed in the last few months. KingBathmat is a very diverse and proficient band that will surely grab the attention from media and fans alike thanks to this excellent production. If you are a fan of old-school Progressive Rock and want a bit more diversity in your music, then be sure to get this album through Stereohead Records and Code 7.

Release: January 21st, 2013

Genre: Progressive Rock

Country: UK