LORDS OF BLACK - Icons Of The New Days

May 16, 2018, 5 years ago

(Frontiers)

Mark Gromen

Rating: 7.0

review hard rock heavy metal lords of black

LORDS OF BLACK - Icons Of The New Days

Rainbow's Chilean singer Ronnie Romero's "other" band, one of the brightest spots on the Spanish hard rock/metal scene, Lords Of Black. Their third album was produced by Masterplan/ex-Helloween guitarist Roland Grapow and features a dozen songs, although the deluxe edition offers a second disc, with six additional tunes (cover versions of deep album tracks by Queen, Anthrax, Bruce Dickinson & Journey, plus two more originals).

"World Gone Mad" is a lively introduction, many domestically just now picking up on the band, thanks to renewed interest in all things Rainbow, as well as their Stateside ProgPower appearance, last fall. The staccato begun title cut ultimately showcases the Lords' two best assets: Romero's high register and the driving guitar of Tony Hernando (who also apparently handled all bass on the album, and some of the keyboards). Neo-classical twiddling on mid-paced "Forevermore", even a section of acoustic guitar, is followed by the classical piano begun "The Way I'll Remember", which becomes one of the better (albeit simplistic) inclusions, until the end, when it fades out as a double tracked acoustic guitar workout. Parts of "Edge Of Darkness" sound like a video game run amok, electronic guitar tones, while a large segment of the 11:35 album closer, "All I Have Left" is instrumental. Best material is up-tempo numbers, in the mode of the opener, "When A Hero Takes A Fall" and "Long Way To Go". The Spaniards will be in the Black before long.



Featured Video

KELEVRA - "The Distance"

KELEVRA - "The Distance"

Latest Reviews