LORDS OF BLACK
“Alchemy Of Souls Part I”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Lords Of Black are a heavy metal band from Spain formed in 2014 by vocalist Ronnie Romero (Rainbow) and guitarist Tony Hernando, releasing their self titled debut album the same year. The band released their sophomore album ‘II’ in 2016, and their third album ‘Icons Of The New Days’ in 2018. ‘Alchemy Of Souls Part I’ is the bands fourth album, and was released in 2020.

Two years ago, Lords Of Black appeared on my radar with a monolithic twelve song and seventy five minutes long album. To say it was a stunning release is a little bit of an understatement – with the bands new album clocking in at just under an hour in length, offering eleven songs. Once again, the band run the gamut of heavy metal and hard rock, with every song epic, atmospheric, and hugely melodic. Album opener ‘Dying To Live Again’ opens with a cracking riff that is both tantalising and catchy. And as the song progresses the catchiness doubles and the pulsating rhythm simply stimulates every nerve within the human body to create a feeling nearing ecstasy. ‘Into The Black’ launches with an explosive NWOBHM flavoured riff, proceeding to gallop forth with melodic mastery. And that riff! Knees are gonna be trembling everywhere such is its impact – Tony Hernando showing his guitaring prowess to the max. Pace quickens as ‘Deliverance Lost’ lights up the album. The pace, the power, the massive melodic edge – fuck this is good. The infectious nature is supremely addictive, and will have fans all over the world glued to their speakers, or headphones, for months, maybe even years, listening to some of the best melodic metal ever. And with one of the worlds best singers too – Ronnie Romero.

Aw man – what a tune ‘Sacrifice’ is. Head banging hooks, infectious riffs, cracking vocals, and a chorus sing a long ability second to none. This album began great – and is only getting greater. I just know I’m gonna run out of superlatives before I’ve finished my review. Someone give me a thesaurus!!! Moving into melodic rock territory, ‘Brightest Star’ is highly atmospheric as it slow burns its way on. A fantastic vocal display reaffirms why Romero is held in such high regard. ‘Brightest Star’ may even get called a power ballad, with some listeners raising lighters high in the air. And now here comes that hard hitting “foot on the monitor” style heavy metal that we all love and simply adore – ‘Closer To Your Fall’ is up tempo, energetic, and full of the Lords Of Black signature sound. Infectious and melodic, catchy and addictive, ‘Closer To Your Fall’ is classic heavy metal to head bang, foot tap, or punch the air to, or whatever it is you do to salute great heavy metal. For this is great heavy metal, no argument! Keyboards introduce the six minutes plus ‘Shadows Kill Twice’, giving way to a superb guitar passage, and this time for definite, get your lighters out and raise them high. But not for too long – as a thunderous riff launches a barn storming and totally raucous forage across the traditional heavy metal landscape. With feet firmly planted on the monitors, ‘Shadows Kill Twice’ stands tall and very proud.

And as we enter the albums final third, the superlatives are still flowing. ‘Disease In Disguise’ has a lot of bluster about it as it forges on, smacking listeners around the head with savage intent – a savagery not heard on the album previously. ‘Disease In Disguise’ shows the band are not afraid to deviate from their melodic metal stance. ‘Tides Of Blood’ is the most anthemic offering the album has to offer, and bears a striking resemblance to the doom heavy style of heavy metal that the mighty Black Sabbath arguably invented. A top notch vocal display by Romero and a phenomenal guitar display from Hernando pushes ‘Tides Of Blood’ forth at a mid tempo foot stomping pace. And now for the albums show stopping finale, the ten minutes plus title song ‘Alchemy Of Souls’. A mellow and highly atmospheric intro builds the tension – and then wham! That guitar riff is fucking awesome, heavy enough to crack walls and demolish buildings. And what a menacing vocal delivery by Romero. I got goose bumps! ‘Alchemy Of Souls’ (the song) is simply astounding, every second is ecstasy, and a superb climax to a superb album – well almost… There is one final flourish – ‘You Came To Me’, a two and a half minute piano led introduction to what I believe will be ‘Part II’ of ‘Alchemy Of Souls’. I for one, cannot wait…

Overall, Lords Of Black do it again – a stunning album of melodic metal from start to finish, ‘Alchemy Of Souls Part I’ is more than worthy of a place in your record collection.

TRACKLIST

Dying To Live Again
Into The Black
Deliverance Lost
Sacrifice
Brightest Star
Closer To Your Fall
Shadows Kill Twice
Disease In Disguise
Tides Of Blood
Alchemy Of Souls
You Came To Me (piano version)

http://www.lordsofblack.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Lords-Of-Black-745659882125260/

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