10 Bands To Listen To If You Love Led Zeppelin
8. King's X
With 1988’s revered debut LP, Out of the Silent Planet, progressive metal trio King’s X – bassist/vocalist Doug Pinnick, percussionist Jerry Gaskill, and guitarist Ty Tabor –established themselves as one of Led Zeppelin’s greatest protégés.
For one thing, the collection contains reminiscently hard-hitting bluesy celebrations (In the New Age, Wonder) and hypnotic dirges (What Is This?). Plus, its C.S. Lewis-influenced title directly ties back to the English quartet’s love of literature (as showcased on gems like Misty Mountain Hop and The Battle of Evermore).
Their magnum opus, Gretchen Goes to Nebraska, came next and further recalls Led Zeppelin’s characteristic variety. In particular, Summerland echoes their lovely acoustic arpeggios, shrieking electric guitar solos, and impassioned vocals.
Similarly, the song Out of the Silent Planet evokes the epic drama of Achille’s Last Stand, just as I’ll Never Be the Same is a towering beast of feisty six-string licks and coarse ascending melodies. Hell, Pleiades even employs Page and company’s proclivity for drop-D tuning.
Luckily, King’s X have maintained that allure ever since, with later pieces such as Cigarettes, Little Bit of Soul, Sooner or Later, and Chariot Song (among countless others) clearly harkening back to the Led Zeppelin in some way or another.