Top tracks — play these first
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Pray — The opening track sets the tone for the album with its introspective lyrics and dynamic instrumentation, highlighting the band's ability to blend heavy riffs with thoughtful themes.
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I Just Want to Live — This track showcases the band's signature harmonies layered over an infectious melody, encapsulating the essence of resilience and hope amidst life's struggles.
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Love and Rockets (Hell's Screaming) — The closing track combines powerful vocal performances with intricate guitar work, providing a climactic finish that reflects the band's complex musical identity.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
XV showcases strong songwriting and musicianship, blending hard rock with progressive elements effectively.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features a consistent mid-tempo drive, while the second half introduces more varied tempos and dynamics.
- Several tracks incorporate layered vocal harmonies that create a rich texture, particularly in the choruses.
- The album includes shifts in instrumentation, with some songs featuring prominent guitar solos while others focus on rhythmic grooves.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo reflective moments
- thought-provoking themes for contemplation
- rich harmonies for attentive listening
- consistent flow for focused sessions
Maybe skip if you
- prefer faster-paced tracks
- enjoy standalone singles only
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 2008, XV is King's X's eleventh studio album, coming after a five-year hiatus since their previous album, Ogre Tones. At this point in their career, the band was exploring a more mature sound while still retaining the eclectic elements that made them influential in both hard rock and progressive scenes.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Dream Theater· Rush· Tool
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Pray 4:17
- 2 Blue 4:27
- 3 Repeating Myself 4:11
- 4 Rocket Ship 2:46
- 5 Julie 2:43
- 6 Alright 3:01
- 7 Broke 3:58
- 8 I Just Want to Live 4:23
- 9 Move 4:04
- 10 I Don't Know 3:34
- 11 Stuck 3:58
- 12 Go Tell Somebody 3:19
- 13 Love and Rockets (Hell's Screaming) 4:24
- 14 No Lie 5:20
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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