As I hinted at last month whilst reviewing the debut album by A-Z (which can be read here), a new project fronted by Fates Warning's Ray Alder, I would soon be covering another Fates Warning-related side-project: Kings of Mercia. With Fates Warning seemingly now over, although no official announcement has been made regarding the matter, its key players have stepped out of the progressive metal band's shadow to work on side projects. A-Z saw Alder, and former Fates Warning drummer Mark Zonder, putting together an album that was perhaps more song-based and immediate than much of Fates Warning's work; whilst Kings of Mercia sees the band's lead guitarist and principal songwriter turning his hand to melodic rock and AOR. That man is, of course, Jim Matheos (Fates Warning; OSI; Tuesday the Sky) - the only person to appear on all of Fates Warning's albums and their driving force since the off. He has stepped outside of Fates Warning mode occasionally, notably with the spacey progressive rock group OSI and his ambient instrumental project Tuesday the Sky, but generally all of his focus throughout the years has been on his main band. Given that he has always driven Fates Warning, this is not surprising - but with the band seemingly laid to rest it seems that he wanted to turn his hand to something different. All of Matheos' projects have generally been progressive in nature, so I did a double take earlier this year when I read that he was recording an album with one of the greatest AOR singers in the business: Steve Overland (Wildlife; FM; So!; Shadowman; The Ladder; Groundbreaker; Lonerider). Overland has lent his voice to many different bands over the years, as I have just listed, as well as releasing a handful of solo albums. Despite this, though, I am only really familiar with this work with FM - which has always been his 'main' band. Those who are regular readers of this blog will know that I am a huge fan of FM, though, and part of that is down to the voice and songwriting of Overland. He is one of those rare singers who sounds as good now as he did in the 1980s, and FM remain very active - touring here in the UK often and regularly releasing new albums. I could not really imagine a world in which Matheos and Overland would meet, let alone write songs together, but according to the booklet that comes with Kings of Mercia's self-titled debut album they were introduced by famed UK music journalist Dave Ling. I am glad that the pair met, though, as Kings of Mercia is very enjoyable indeed. It is easily the most accessible album that Matheos has ever done, and it is likely the heaviest thing that Overland has been a part of - although in truth it is not that far removed from his typical style. Kings of Mercia are weightier than FM, with a focus on guitars throughout, but the overall style is similar - so much so that the album is clearly a true collaboration between the two. Filling out the band's ranks here are another Fates Warning alumnus in bassist Joey Vera (Armored Saint; Fates Warning; Seven Witches; OSI; Motor Sister; Mercyful Fate) and drumming legend Simon Phillips (801; Michael Schenker Group; Ph.D.; Toto; Protocol) - whose rock solid grooves allow the band's melodies to shine.
The album contains 10 songs, none of which outstay their welcome. As such, Kings of Mercia is a very digestible release - so those expecting something akin to Fates Warning, even the band's more accessible early 1990s period, should alter those expectations before going in. That being said, though, this is not a keyboard-driven AOR album. Matheos' guitar drives everything, but his playing throughout is very tasteful - allowing Overland's golden voice to shine. Wrecking Ball kicks things off, opening with a simple drum fill before the first of Matheos' weighty riffs comes in. The song's opening is upbeat, with the rhythm section creating a solid tempo and groove, but the guitar does most of the heavy lifting. Whilst the guitar drives everything, though, this is also a very vocal-centric release. Matheos generally lets Overland take the spotlight, which is wise considering what a powerhouse singer the latter is. The verses are simple, to allow Overland's voice to shine - whilst the chorus is much punchier, with subtle vocal harmonies and a smooth hook to die for. Most of the songs here have a big chorus that sticks in the brain, but Wrecking Ball is one of the hookiest from the off - and it is one of the album's highlights as a result. Matheos gets the chance to show off with a strong solo, too, which is melodic and bluesy - showing off a different side to his playing than usual. Humankind slows the pace down, and goes for a more of a bluesy, mid-paced hard rock approach. If the song had more of a keyboard presence, it could easily be a modern FM track - as the band's recent albums are packed full of songs like this. FM have often had a bit of a Bad Company vibe at times, and Humankind also channels that - with Overland laying down an emotionally-charged vocal that sounds bluesier than is often typical for him. Even without the keyboards, though, this song still sounds a lot like FM. If I heard it out of context I would assume it was a new FM song - which is certainly a complement given how much I tend to enjoy FM's recent work. Matheos' guitar playing is perhaps a little busier, though, especially during his solo, but overall the riffing, etc., serves the song - with another chorus that is packed with harmonies hooking the listener in. Sweet Revenge ups the heaviness somewhat, though. It maintains the previous song's mid-paced feel, but the riffing is much harder-hitting here - and the FM vibes of the previous song are swept aside. The track is much heavier as a result but it is still very hooky - and it is great to hear Overland singing against some riffing that borders on metal at times. That being said, though, parts of the song are quite low key. Vera's bass tends to dominate the verses, with the guitars adding chiming melodies, but when the chorus kicks in the heaviness really returns - and the Matheos/Overland duo is fully realised. It is one of the album's most powerful moments for me, and the leaden drumming of Phillips only makes the track sound heavier. There are some other heavier moments, too, which feature bursts of riffing, plus there are occasional lead breaks from Matheos - with the guitarist laying down some tasty, melodic leads.
Set the World on Fire maintains the heaviness of the previous song, but also ups the pace. As such, the song harks back to the album's opening track somewhat - but also really shines the spotlight on Matheos. He lays down some shredding melodies during the song's opening, which grab the listener from the off, and his playing sets the tone for everything else that is to come. The riffing throughout the song is driving, and the verses catch hold thanks to Vera's fat bass tones and some sultry vocals. As is often the case here, though, the song really comes alive with its chorus - which really powers through the speakers. Overland sings the song in a much more powerful manner than he tackles the verses - and he really belts the lyrics out, with some subtle harmonies making everything sound big. It is another song that really hooked me in from the off - and it is another album highlight as a result. There are no weak songs here in truth, but some stand out more than others - and Set the World on Fire is a winner for me. Too Far Gone slows everything down, and is a true ballad - which really allows Overland to shine. Melodic rock and AOR albums need ballads for them to feel complete, and Too Far Gone is a great addition to the album - and a change of pace from the heavier riffing that has come so far. Phillips' inventive shuffling rhythm, Vera's pulsing bass, and Matheos' acoustic guitars make a perfect bed for Overland's heartfelt vocal display - and all of the classic ballad hallmarks are present and correct. Matheos does not exclusively use his acoustic guitar, though, and he does lay down a few bluesy leads early on - which help to add depth. As the song moves on, too, it does get somewhat rockier - but it never really feels like anything other than a ballad. Crunchy guitar chords helps to bulk out the later choruses, but the overall vibe remains less full-on than what came before - with Overland front and centre. Liberate Me returns to a sound more typical of the rest of the album - although it opens with an impressive guitar workout from Matheos. He does not show off that much here, but the opening moments of this song are quite busy - before he returns to his typical riffing style to lay down a crunchy, pacy pattern which defines the rest of the song. As such, the piece has an infectious energy throughout - and the drumming of Phillips helps to give the song a kinetic feel. Overland's chorus hooks are again very memorable, too, and the snappy vocal lines easily get stuck in the brain. Some of the choruses here are more epic, but Liberate Me has a strong energy throughout which allows it to stand out - and another busy Matheos solo helps pull everything together. Nowhere Man opens with a raw guitar riff, that has a subtle southern rock-esque groove to it, but overall the song still sits within the album's typical wheelhouse. Again, that Bad Company influence that is sometimes found within FM's sound can be heard here - and the punchy grooves throughout the song give it a strong blues edge, which allows Overland to lay down a commanding vocal performance. There is perhaps a little more grit in his voice here, but he still very much continues in his usual melodic style - which allows the strident chorus to shine.
Everyday Angels is another song that slows the pace down, and it is the album's second ballad. It is similar in style to Too Far Gone, but it is perhaps even more stripped back that the earlier example. Matheos' acoustic guitars dominate throughout, whilst Phillips add some subtle percussion - and only really joins in properly on the drums once the chorus rolls around. Vera's bass is subtle, locking everything together, but again the star here is Overland. Matheos' guitar playing is generally pretty straight forward, with acoustics filling all of the gaps and the occasional clean melody accenting the vocals - so it is Overland's vocals that dominate throughout. His vocal performance here is unsurprisingly heartfelt, but it is also dynamic. He really lets rip at times, despite the song's simple arrangement - which means that the song acts a real showcase piece. If anyone was in doubt as to what a great singer Overland is, then Everyday Angels should very much convince them that there are few better melodic rock singers out there. Is It Right? then packs a bit of punch, and following the ballad the song's snappy riff hits the spot. It is another pretty simple song overall, but the main riff is infectious - and some of Vera's bass playing is on the busy side, which adds subtle melodies beneath the main riffing. The chorus is very much out of the modern FM staple, and Overland's melodic and bluesy approach brings the fast-moving chorus to life. It is another that is as strong as it is due to its pace and a couple of neat vocal melodies that set it apart from the norm. Again, there are more epic choruses here - but the hooks throughout Is It Right? are hard not to love, and another strong Matheos guitar solo ensures that some guitar excitement is injected into the piece. The album then comes to a close with Your Life, a song that very much returns to the heavier feel of some of the album's opening cuts. It is a mid-paced hard rocker, but it certainly feels bigger and more epic-sounding than much of what has come before - so it very much works as an album closer as a result. The main guitar riff from Matheos is great, and packed full of snaking attitude, whilst Phillips' drumming adds plenty of weight. Despite this, though, the song is still very hooky - even if there is perhaps not quite as much of a focus on them throughout. The chorus still features plenty of great Overland vocal hooks, but the guitar playing throughout the song generally feels to be a bit more in-your-face this time. It is a song that is very much based around its riffing and grooves, and a great bluesy guitar solo from Matheos allows him one final chance to shine - before a lengthy rendition of the final chorus swirls around and repeats to help bring the song to an end. There is a bit of a false ending, though, and following a brief pause the song kicks back in with another short section that plays off the chorus until the song comes to a close. At this stage, much like with A-Z, it is unclear whether Kings of Mercia will be a one-off collaboration or whether more is planned. I cannot see the band becoming Matheos' main project, largely due to Overland's commitments, but as a collaboration the duo have really worked well together here. I would certainly like to hear more songs co-written by the pair, so if another Kings of Mercia album was to be put together than I would very much look forward to its release - and it is always great to hear more quality modern melodic rock.
The album was released on 23rd September 2022 via Metal Blade Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Wrecking Ball.
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