King X with special guest Sound & Shape to open!

Few hard rock bands are as widely respected yet criminally overlooked as King's X. The band, which combines progressive rock and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues and British Invasion groups, still features original members Doug Pinnick (vocals/bass), Ty Tabor (guitar) and Jerry Gaskill (drums). They were ranked #83 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock and released over a dozen albums featuring the radio hits “Over My Head,” "It’s Love," "Black Flag" and "Dogman."

King’s X released their first studio album, “Out of the Silent Planet,” in 1988. Despite being hailed by music critics, the album didn’t fare well commercially, peaking at #144 on the Billboard album charts. The band's 1989 sophomore release, “Gretchen Goes to Nebraska,” fared slightly better from a commercial standpoint. Significantly, the song "Over My Head" received moderate airplay on MTV and radio. The increase in exposure would prove beneficial when the band released their third album, “Faith, Hope, Love,” in the fall of 1990.

“Faith, Hope, Love” was the group's first album to crack the US Top 100, with the help of the successful single "It's Love". The band landed a gig opening for AC/DC in the U.S. and Europe for the first half of 1991. They also toured with Living Colour and were nearing the peak of their popularity.

King’s X signed with major label Atlantic Records for their next self-titled release. After parting ways with their longtime manager, the band enlisted veteran producer Brendan O’Brien, who had previously produced albums for Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam. The ensuing release, “Dogman,” performed respectfully on the charts. This success resulted in the band opening shows for Pearl Jam and a show-stopping performance on the opening night of the mammoth Woodstock '94 festival

King’s X completed their contract with Atlantic Records with “Ear Candy” in 1996, before moving to Metal Blade Records where they released four studio albums and one live release. The band’s latest studio albums, “Ogre Tones” (2005) and “XV” (2008), were released on the InsideOut label. “XV” was their first album since “Ear Candy” to chart on the Billboard Top 200, ushering in a new wave of popularity for the band.




2022’s Disaster Medicine saw Nashville-based rock trio Sound&Shape channeling the best aspects of their prior records into a thoroughly captivating and heartfelt odyssey full of rich melodies, insightful lyricism, and inventive yet accessible instrumentation. Evoking the soothing vibes of Dredg, Katatonia, A Perfect Circle, and Biffy Clyro (“Filament and Spark,” “Gods,” “Four Pale Horses”) and the epic energy and musicianship of classic Queen, Porcupine Tree, King’s X, Dead Letter Circus, and Chevelle (“Heirlooms,” “Quiet Wars,” “How the Light Gets In”), Disaster Medicine was a triumphantly introspective and orchestral statement of purpose that any band would have a hard time surpassing.

Sound&Shape isn’t just any band, though, and with their latest LP – Pillars of Creation – they’ve set a whole new benchmark not only for themselves, but for the genre as a whole. Recorded in just eight days at their Nashville home studio alongside Grammy-winning producer/engineer “Greazy” Wil Anspach (Metallica, Muse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Killer Mike), the grippingly affective and symphonic opening title track symbolizes how the sequence finds frontman/songwriter Ryan Caudle, drummer Ben Proctor, and bassist Pat Lowry taking listeners on an even more impactful, cohesive, and ambitious ride.

From the adventurous arrangements and daring complexities of “Look For Me in the Sky'' and “Is a Wilted Rose Still Red?” to the sing-along folk splendor of “Peace in Destruction''; the majestic lusciousness of “Sun Haired Sky Mother”; and the fierce changeups of “Dance Neath the Fairest Moon,” Pillars of Creation ups the ante by fusing the group’s already winning chemistry with a double dose of the baroque/prog rock sophistications of The Dear Hunter, Dirt Poor Robins, and The Reign of Kindo.

Beyond being Sound&Shape’s magnum opus, Pillars of Creation is an awe-inspiringly meaningful and multifaceted journey that’s destined to be hailed as one of 2024’s greatest albums. - JB 3/24