LORDS OF BLACK
“ICONS OF THE NEW DAYS”
Album Review By Iron Mathew

10/10

Lords Of Black are a heavy metal band from Spain formed in 2014, releasing their self titled debut album the same year. ‘Lords Of Black’ was an instant hit, with the band going on tour to support the release. The bands singer Ronnie Romero, was recruited by Ritchie Blackmore for his latest incarnation of Rainbow, describing Romero’s voice like “a cross between Ronnie James Dio and Freddie Mercury”. Lords Of Black released their sophomore album ‘II’ in 2016, with their third album ‘Icons Of The New Days’ a 2018 release. The bands singer also featured as lead vocalist on the debut album by Destinia, a heavy metal project formed by Japanese guitarist and composer Nozomu Wakai.

Ronnie Romero is a sensational singer with an amazing voice, with Lords Of Black a hungry, galloping metal machine, that is one hundred percent steeped in the aura and wonder of the traditional heavy metal sound. Accompanied by drummer Andy C, guitarist Tony Hernando and bass player Dani Criado, ‘Icons Of The New Days’ is a monolithic twelve song monster, spanning an incredible seventy five minutes. The album launches into life with the explosive ‘World Gone Mad’, full of pace and purpose, with a definite “foot on the monitor” vibe. Chiming in at over seven minutes in length, ‘World Gone Mad’ is infectious with an incredibly catchy chorus. What an opener! The title song ‘Icons Of The New Days’ follows and is a magnificent melodic march. Lords Of Black are hungry, and it shows with the up tempo, fast paced and energetic delivery of every song on offer. Heavy hitting hard rock greets the listener as ‘Not In A Place Like This’ crashes in and foot stomps on its way. After just three songs, ‘Icons Of The New Days’ (the album) is displaying all the right qualities to being a great album.

‘When A Hero Takes A Fall’ is lively, up tempo and bombastic. The fastest paced song on the album so far, ‘When A Hero Takes A Fall’ is a head bangers dream and I for one am head banging furiously (at the moment). This is pure heavy metal at its very best. ‘Forevermore’ is another melodic monster, heavy hitting and as catchy as hell. Addiction to this album is involuntary, and I defy anyone to not be hooked after just one listen! Nine of the songs on the album clock in at over five minutes in length, with one at seven minutes, another at eight minutes and one that stretches to the twelve minute mark. A sparkling keyboard passage breathes life into ‘The Way I’ll Remember’, a heavy hitting hard rock romp that is just so melodic and infectious. Lords Of Black are proving themselves as masters of heavy metal/hard rock of the most intense and exciting nature. It wouldn’t surprise me at all should this album challenge strongly for the title of Album Of The Year 2018. ‘Falling’ moves the album in the direction of the progressive metal genre, mixing it with heavy rock and delivering a sing a long chant style chorus. Hard foot stomping is a must as ‘Falling’ majestically marches on to a conclusion.

Heavying things up majorly, is the eight minute plus ‘King’s Reborn’. Slow to mid tempo, smidges of the doom metal style riffing, ‘King’s Reborn’ hits harder than a wrecking ball. Awesome stuff from an awesome band. Pace and an injection of the NWOBHM sound greets the listener as ‘Long Way To Go’ explodes into life and runs amok with energy and bombast. Hard rock and heavy metal combine to perfection as ‘Long Way To Go’ keeps its foot on the pedal, galloping hard all the way home… ‘The Edge Of Darkness’ increases the infectiousness and is another heavy hitting and catchy melodic metal monster, with another hint at the progressive metal direction of music. The fastest and most heaviest song on the album, ‘Wait No Prayers For The Dying’ runs furiously along the border of the thrash metal genre. Blistering pace and a pulsating rhythm that will pulverise and pummel anything foolish enough to stand in its way. Yet amazingly, the chorus is still as catchy and sing a long able as anything else on the album. Simply breath taking stuff. The final song on the album is the twelve minute epic ‘All I Have Left’. Feel free to count how many different genres the song wanders through as it meanders on its way, I managed a different count with every listen. ‘All I Have Left’ is majestic and bold, a proud march of the epic and glory genres, anthemic and spine tingling. And trust me when I say, you will be hooked from minute one to minute twelve, it is that great a song, and is a wonderful end to a superb album.

Overall, a stunning heavy metal and hard rock offering, infectious and addictive in equal quantities, ‘Icons Of The New Days’ is one of the best albums I have heard this year.

TRACKLIST

World Gone Mad
Icons Of The New Days
Not In A Place Like This
When A Hero Takes A Fall
Forevermore
The Way I’ll Remember
Fallin’
King’s Reborn
Long Way To Go
The Edge Of Darkness
Wait No Prayers For The Dying
All I Have Left

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

This review is the property of Iron Mathew and Metal Gods TV. It is strictly prohibited to copy any part of this review, unless you have both of the parties’ permission, or are the band/record label/PR company in question. Failure to adhere to these instructions will be considered as Plagiarism and you will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

---