KXM - Scatterbrain album review

Korn-backed rock veterans return to kick out the jams

Cover art for KXM - Scatterbrain album

You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.

On the face of it, KXM are a logic-defying pool of seemingly random talent. Take one former hair-metaller – ex-Dokken guitarist George Lynch – and throw him into the mixer with Korn drummer Ray Luzier, then add the musical chameleon that is dUg Pinnick, bassist/vocalist of the impossible-to-categorise King’s X, introduce them at a party and suggest working together under an impenetrably initialled name (Lynch’s contribution, the ‘M’, derives from the second word in the moniker of his current act, Lynch Mob).

If a self-titled debut issued in 2014 suggested KXM had legs, Scatterbrain offers more of the same, but better. All three members are über-serious musicians fluent in multiple genres (don’t forget that Luzier has also backed Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth), and although these 13 songs were jammed out in the studio, aside from the expected musical chops they really flourish courtesy of some deep, hulking grooves and Pinnick’s soulful singing.

Dave Ling

Dave Ling was a co-founder of Classic Rock magazine. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Dave’s life was shaped in 1974 through the purchase of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, along with early gig experiences from Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen. As a lifelong season ticket holder of Crystal Palace FC, he is completely incapable of uttering the word ‘Br***ton’.