FIEFDOM OF ANGELS: SIDE ONE by Kevin Max (music review)

The lid on musician/poet/author Kevin Max’s imagination is slowly being peeled back as new glimpses of his Fiefdom Of Angels franchise continue to surface. From the first random clues as to the focus, story, and imagery of this new venture on through to the release of the Zero Issue of the graphic novel and, most recently, the release of the FIEFDOM OF ANGELS: SIDE ONE EP, my curiosity has steadily evolved into fully engaged interest. I certainly think that caution should be exercised when toying with the mythology and the reality of angels, but, one certainly has the right to wonder why the topic hasn’t been subject to such a deep exploration, the likes of which Max is now attempting to execute, before. While I really can’t offer any additional insight or even an opinion about the substance of the series (due to the fact that only the introductory Zero Issue has been released so far – with further issues and a possible novel yet to come) I can say that the musical tapestry that Max is skillfully weaving around the project through the release of the FIEFDOM OF ANGELS: SIDE ONE EP will only heighten the expectations for future releases whether they be in the form of new graphic novel issues, text, or film. Unlike the original 1983 Real Life version of “Send Me An Angel,” Kevin Max’s cover version opens the EP with a hauntingly grandiose, atmospheric feel that sets the tone for the EP as an entirely different direction from past releases by Max. “End of the Beginning,” successfully blends a clear Beatles influence into the mix without compromising the unique thematic integrity of the project as a whole. The track, in particular, harkens back to some of the material released in 2001 on Kevin Max’s first solo release STEREOTYPE BE. While “Shadow Play” doesn’t stick out above the rest for any particular reason, it does serve as an added layer of dramatic contemplative texture that could have really set the stage for Max’s cover of Muse’s “Take A Bow” had “Shadow Play” been sequenced to play just before “Take A Bow,” which, unfortunately, it wasn’t. What comes before “Take A Bow” is a cover of Queen’s 1980 “Dragon Attack.” While it’s a decent song in its own right, it seems to be somewhat out-of-place in terms of the mood and feel of the EP as a whole. “Take A Bow”, an epic theatrical climax to the EP, ensures that EP finishes with a bang and leaves the listener wanting  more. The EP certainly accomplishes what all good teasers and movie trailers do: build interest and lead the listener curious about what is yet to come as Kevin Max’s brainchild continues to unfold before us.