King Stands Alone

SOLUS REX (Author) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Retrospecct Records
• ASIN: B00306804Y
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #397,543 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

THE FINAL RELEASE FROM RETROSPECT RECORDS IN 2009 IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE BEST THIS YEAR! RECORDED IN THE EARLY 90s AND PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED IN ANY FORMAT COMES SOLUS REX. HAILING FROM THE EAST COAST AND PRODUCED BY THE LEGENDARY ERIC GAST , SOLUS REX WOULD HAVE BEEN HUGE IF THIS CD HAD BEEN RELEASED IN 1989. UNFORTUNATELY THE WHOLE PROJECT WAS SHELVED AFTER THE GRUNGE EXPLOSION DESTROYED REAL ROCK N ROLL. FEATURES GUEST PERFORMANCES FROM DONNIE VIE AND CHIP Z'NUFF OF ENUFF Z'NUFF AS WELL AS MARIAH'S VOCALIST DENNIS LIND AND MYSELF ON KEYBOARDS! SOLUS REX SHOWCASES AN EXPLOSIVE SLICE OF 80s-STYLE MELODIC HARD ROCK WITH POWERFUL VOCALS , BLISTERING GUITARS AND UNFORGETTABLE HOOKS. SOLUS REX DOESN'T REALLY SOUND LIKE ANYONE FROM THAT ERA , THEY HAD A COMPLETELY UNIQUE SOUND BUT IN A VERY VERY GOOD WAY. I THINK YOU'LL FIND THIS IS ONE OF RETROSPECT'S BEST RELEASES YET. ESSENTIAL FOR ALL FANS AND COLLECTORS OF 80s-STYLE HARD ROCK. LISTEN FOR YOURSELF.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Just a little too late to the party, July 3, 2010

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: King Stands Alone (Audio CD)

Here's another rare gem from the "hair metal" era that was unearthed by Retrospect Records. Solus Rex was a melodic hard rock band that emerged just as the Seattle grunge scene had already razed the musical landscape in the US.

Obviously, Solus Rex never made it big, and their material went largely unheard until the 2009 release King Stands Alone. This collection features the recordings the band released circa 1993-1994, and includes guest appearances by Donnie V and Chip Znuff (of Enuff Znuff) and Dennis Lind (Mariah). It's hard to pin down the band's sound. Tyketto and Mr. Big are reference points, and vocally it reminds me a bit of Triumph and later Kingdom Come. It's very melodic, but with a rockin' edge, has some nice keyboard work (and mellotron!) and has that great, 80's era melodic rock spirit.

If you're a serious fan of the late 80's and early 90's rock sound, particularly the less image-obsessed bands that emerged just as the scene was ending, Solus Rex is well worth checking out.

Edition Notes: The sound quality of King Stands Alone is pretty good. The liner notes don't say whether it has been remastered, but it sounds like that may be the case. The inserts could be a lot better, as they're pretty flimsy, with grainy photos and hard to read text. It's still cool to have this material available on CD though.

Track Listing:

1. Blink of an Eye
2. Rise Above
3. Heart in Chains
4. Wait For You
5. Turn It Up
6. King Stand Alone
7. Scarlet Woman
8. Times Shall Change
9. LSD
10. Circles