Album review: Jerry A. & The Kings of Oblivion – “Life After Hate”

TKO, American Leather – 14 Nov 2023

Former Poison Idea frontman Jerry A. Lang forges a new path.

Singer Jerry A. Lang is the last man standing from long running Portland harcore favorites Poison Idea. That’s no small feat based on that band’s notorious penchant for self-destruction. As much as fans would love to see Lang put together yet another version of Poison Idea, he’s been doing some really cool things with his various solo projects. Jerry A. & The Kings Of Oblivion leave behind Poison Idea’s unbridled rage for something much closer to straight up rock and roll. 

Jerry A’s previous solo album, From the Fire Into the Water, dropped just last year. For that record’s 12 tracks he used 12 different backing bands, and it shows. Not to say that it’s bad. It’s not, just uneven. (Maybe even by design.) The songs range from near pop rock to straight up heavy metal, with Lang’s raspy howl as the only constant. Life After Hate is six songs that are much more focused. It’s punk meets power pop and it really allows Lang’s well weathered voice to be front and center. 

Side A opens with “Degeneration”, a largely forgotten 1978 B-side from the obscure Dutch band The Blitzz. (The Kings of Oblivion are actually the Dutch band Savage Beat.) The Lang co-penned title track is next, and he contemplates if it’s even possible to move beyond the hate that has defined the majority of his life. Side A closes with “City Kids”. It’s a catchy song originally by UK proto-punk weirdos Pink Fairies. As radical as it may have sounded in 1973, in 2023 it almost feels like classic rock. Side A is really strong…

…but side B is even stronger. It opens with a cover of The Shitdogs’ “Reborn”. It’s the tale of renegade pornographic publisher Larry Flynt, and seems even more poignant coming from Lang. The Lang co-penned “Pink Skies” might feel a little goth if it weren’t for the Thin Lizzy style dual lead guitars. Closer “That’s My Music” is a holdover from Lang’s previous LP. It’s essentially a jacked up rhythm and blues song that will make even the stiffest soul want to shake their ass on the dance floor. 

If the goal of Life After Hate was to leave them wanting more, it certainly succeeds. If its goal was to plug the Poison Idea sized hole in fans’ hearts, it comes really close. At the very least, it’s comforting for recovering nihilists to see Jerry still thriving. 

For vinyl fiends: This is a 12 inch 45 RPM record. Only 350 were pressed on black. The cover art features Lang’s disembodied, black and white head against a red background. Between his empty stare and his John Waters mustache, it’s a bit disconcerting.