KINGDOM COME - Perpetual

Frontiers Records

Posted: 5/26/05

Reviewed by: Dirt

Category: Modern Hard Rock

Released: 9/21/04

Label URL: www.frontiers.it

Artist URL: www.lennywolf.com

Although commercially successful, Kingdom Come's 1988 self-titled debut got a bad rap for being nothing more than a Led Zeppelin rip-off.  Lead vocalist and main-songwriter Lenny Wolf is quite talented and the backlash, in my opinion, was unjustified.  Despite the controversy, and the eventual disbanding of the original unit, Wolf has kept Kingdom Come alive since the 80s, releasing albums overseas.  I have followed many of the releases and have appreciated most of the work he has done.  Perpetual is a different story.

Perpetual comes off as a mid-tempo, fuzzy, brooding platter.  The days of the rockin' "Overrated" or the anthemic "Do You Like It" are nowhere to be found here.  While Wolf still presents his unique vocals, instrumentally, the contemporary tones are boring and repetitive.  There is no energy in these eleven songs as the pace never seems to change.

The Bloody Truth: Somewhere along the way, Lenny Wolf  became influenced by contemporary alternative artists and lost touch with the Kingdom Come sound. Wolf took Kingdom Come to an interesting place on 1991's Hands Of Time.  While there was something introspective about that piece of work, it still retained hooks, choruses, and variety.  Perpetual lacks all of those things.  Although Wolf handled all instruments (except some guitar solos), Perpetual comes off as mundane and uninspired and does not showcase his talents.