Review: Kingdom - Excalibur

Kingdom's ambitious debut rollout sees them go full-on King Arthur. I was somewhat unhyped until Terrance from 8.5 Music noted on the critic forums (made by Deforested Music) that it may sound like EXO's Mama. Mama is one of my favorite songs of the 2010s (easily top 5), and I suddenly saw the similarities. Suddenly, I was hyped.

Then, the song came out. My initial reaction was, "okay, it is fine". Apparently, it is part of a big debut storyline with a massive scale, with albums and concepts united. Each member has a stage name based on a legendary king, and each seems to have an album for themselves. This is for Arthur, and the next album is based on the equally mythical Chinese king Chiyou (led by member Chiwoo). I appreciate the ambition but am clearly worried it won't happen. But if it does, Kingdom might just become one of the most ambitious artists ever.

Lyrically, Excalibur seems to be one of those 'rising to a new land' anthems. It is something ONF do a lot recently (they perfected it in New World).

The song opens atmospherically, some harp-synths here definitely build the instrumentation. I am disappointed it leads to a more straightforward verse. Still, the verses seem to be building, and that is certainly a good sign.

The song's first true galvanizing moment comes at 0:43 (0:59 in the MV). The instrumentation becomes a church organ moving imposingly, gaining in volume. This also gives us our first look at Kingdom's vocal skills, Arthur sounds especially sharp.

This sounds like it is leading to a massive chorus. But then, everything fades away, and we get an eery section. It is ambitious, but certainly out of place.

Soon, it is clear why they did that. The chorus is much less ambitious than the pre-chorus. It sounds massive, with a pulsating beat, and Arthur clearly shows loads of potential. Despite that, the ornate, orchestral, and eery elements are removed. The chorus clearly is much more straightforward than needed.

The next verse's rap is somewhat underwhelming. Dann sounds sharp, but the arrangement makes no one else stand out.

Once again, the pre-chorus returns. Let me quickly note my frustration. You are using organs, awesome organs, in a pop song. And, you use it in exactly one moment in the A section of your song, and the pre-chorus at that. Why?! The drums here also are great, so why? Every time I hear the pre-chorus, I can't help but feel disappointed, even though it is the song's best moment. At least this time the pre-chorus and chorus are better bridged.

We then get a dance break, slightly extended in the MV version. It is certainly great, even though Jahan shouting "Excalibur, ah" is not hyping me. Despite this, the instrumentation is great.

The high-note by Arthur is great (remember I said this is supposed to be his era). But other than that, not much was different to end the song.

Before I close the review, I want you all to know I am quite hyped for the Chiyou album potentially coming next. As someone who is a cultural geek, it seems interesting that we will see them do a story based on the Chinese legend, instead of continuing with this Arthur theme. The ending scene in the MV also had a flute, an instrument I absolutely love, and which needs to come more in pop music. Just don't use it only for the pre-chorus.

I am certainly hyped for Kingdom's future, even if Excalibur was not perfect. They seem to have an idea for what they are doing, and ambition is a good sign. And despite its flaws, Excalibur is certainly a solid offering.

Rating: 8.75/10

Image Source: Meaww