Here’s another 80’s Melodic Rock act that refuses to just sit idle and only going out on occasional nostalgia tours. Just like many of their peers, they know that it’s their classic 80’s stuff that most people want to hear when they play live but the desire to create and show that they’re still relevant is more important than album sales and what people prefer to hear live. That said, House Of Lords do throw a good mix of both old and new from the stage. When it comes to the new stuff – and by new I mean the albums released by the latest line-up that was formed back in 2005 – the albums has had both its ups and downs. That being said, none of their later albums have been bad, some of them has only been a bit uneven.
With the line-up of singer James Christian, guitarist Jimi Bell and drummer B.J. Zampa as the longest standing line-up in the band’s career only the bass part has been in rotation (Chris Tristam has been with the band since 2016), things did change four years ago when Christian’s song-writing partner Jeff Kent passed away. Christian has on this new album joined forces with Mark Spiro, an AOR legend who helped HOL back in 1992 on the classic Demons Down album. The last album Saint Of The Lost Souls (2017) is an album I value big time but at the same time, the album did get some mixed reviews here and there. Now three years later it will interesting to see how the majority will receive the new album and also what I will think of it myself.
For the last few albums, the opening track has always been a heavy, somewhat dark, long and epic of sorts track but that has changed here. The title-track and official audio that open the record begins with an acoustic guitar which holds a stripped blues twang. The tune continues on a steady and fat groove that holds a heavier punch but also with a connecting Arena Rock swagger that brings on some chunky riffing, a funked-up rhythm with hand-claps and some hook-laden and strong melodies. The chorus is also damn catchy which makes for a wanting-more vibe. I really dig this one. “Change (What’s It Gonna Take)” starts out poppy and a bit symphonic with more blues-laden arrangements on the acoustic guitars. The verses hold a laid-back arrangement – it’s even close to balladry, but the song gets heavier and more rhythmic but it never gets faster than mid tempo. The song brings on the classic HOL big sound but it’s also a bit smoother albeit not sugary or cheesy at all. Very good.
Another official audio taster is the upbeat and Hard Rock crunchy Melodic Rock stomper “One More”. It’s an addictive pop-rocker with contagious melodies and a clear nod back to their amazing Come To My Kingdom (2008) album. The song is full of hooks in both verse and chorus – and said chorus is impossible to not surrender to. They should have made a proper single of this one because it screams hit right on top of its lungs. Awesome. With “Perfectly (You And I)” is ballad-time. Even though it opens on a stripped and sombre note, it soon gets total power ballad on us, smooth and slick with big guitar riffs, a bigger keyboard sound and a solid beat. That being said, the tune is both soulful and emotional and the massive refrain is nothing but striking. These guys really knows their way around a tune like this. Great.
“The Both Of Us”, the album’s leading “real” single (with an accompanying video) is an uptempo Melodic Rock tune very much in vein of the latter day HOL style-wise, full of hooks and pop-references. The big, striking melodies dwells in both verse and refrain and especially in the 80’s pop-metal, AOR driven chorus. Just like “One More”, Mark Spiro is all over this tune and I’m not surprised it was chosen a single as it sticks before you know what hit ya. Very good. “Chemical Rush”, another official audio, is harder edged with riffs Blackie Lawless could have come up with. It’s a punchy rocker with a massive Stadium Rock vibe on a foundation of Zep-like Classic Rock guitar crunchiness. The keys brings a more classic HOL feel to the song and even though it doesn’t contain a hit-refrain at all, it still catches on. This will be a future live-killer without a doubt. Great.
Latter day pop-metal HOL returns with “We’re All That We Got”. The smooth and slick melodies contrasts the juicy, straight-forward and crunchy rhythm like a charm which in turn makes the tune quite dynamic. With a chorus straight from 1989 with a whole bunch of solid AOR-ism that makes me dream back to the glory days of MTV, the tune sticks like a wet tongue to a lamp-post in mid-winter. Killer stuff. “Better Off Broken” is a pretty straight ahead, bang-on-target Melodic Rock stomper. The tune holds a meaty rhythm and smooth melodies with a multi-layered keyboard in the refrain. It’s kind of repetitive and even monotone at times so for me, it’s the first one that don’t really cut it all the way. A decent tune – no more, no less.
“$5 Buck Of Gasoline” is a mid-paced rocker with some gritty guitars, an almost funky rhythm and a heavy beat. The verses are killer with guitars and keyboards in a perfect mix which builds up into a bridge that doesn’t really hold up all the way and the chorus is pretty catchy without being all that memorable, I’m afraid. It’s not a bad song at all but the verses are the song’s finest moments. But things gets lots better with the uptempo, groovy rock’n’roll stomper “The Chase”. With crunchy guitars, a swinging strut and striking melodies the tune holds a mighty refrain with an in-your-face catchiness. I dig this enough to forgive them for the synth-horns. Closer “The Summit” is darker edged and heavier yet still in uptempo and a rawer grit. An atmospheric keyboard builds up the atmosphere and paves way for big guitars and a bouncy rhythm. This is a stellar hard rocker with a big Melodic Rock vibe in the memorable melodies and the hooky chorus. My favorite tune on the album. Brilliant.
Style and sound wise, it sounds pretty much what you can expect from a House Of Lords album these days. I’m sure this album will get as many mixed reviews as its predecessor – you can’t please everyone, now can you? But I think this is awesome. I know I wrote the same thing about the last record – and I stand by every word – but this one is even better, so I’ll write the same thing here: this is House Of Lords’ finest hour since Come To My Kingdom, an album I hold as dear as the first three classics. Sure, this record won’t go platinum and make HOL superstars, but I doubt it will take them the other way either. After a few uneven records, House Of Lords came back back strong with Indestructible (2015) and this record keeps them on their winning streak. A self-evident buy for fans of melodic Hard Rock.
8/10
More House Of Lords reviews:
Big Money
Precious Metal
Indestructible
Saint Of The Lost Souls
Tracklist:
1. New World New Eyes
2. Change (What’s It Gonna Take)
3. One More
4. Perfectly (You And I)
5. The Both Of Us
6. Chemical Rush
7. We’re All That We Got
8. Better Off Broken
9. $5 Buck Of Gasoline
10. The Chase
11. The Summit
CD & Festival reviews 