Lion's Share - Dark Hours


Year of Release: 2009
Label: Blistering Records
Catalog Number: BR020
Format: CD
Total Time: 44:07:00

The cover art is awesome. It's like something out of the Hellraiser series. The shackled clown and hellspawn has searing teeth to bite. So, it's no wonder why they've bound their poster boy. As for what's past the constrained sentry, it's brutal and fast but a shade or two under torturous. For that reason, their dungeons are fun without the earsplitting effects. Then again, it's the kind of music that begs to be played loud, so there is no guarantee that the vital sense will be preserved if you hastily proceed without care.

For instance, songs such as "Phantom Rider" start with a mobile's lullaby. If your settings aren't quelled, you'll certainly wake the neighbors and shake the walls when the galloping ensues. On the opposite side of the spectrum, "The Presidio 27" actually eases back a notch, and surprisingly proves that they're comfortable with less intensity and a soft-spoken timbre. "Barker Ranch" also has a cool beat and well-timed sound bites. This gruesome twosome goes to show that the horsemen they employ aren't one-trick ponies. While they relax and chill in this pair of padded cells, they spend the majority of their time spewing evil verses elsewhere. When it's all said and done, this is speedy metal, and the balanced mixture and offsetting material elevate their unapologetic affliction to a much higher level.

[Guest appearance on "Behind The Curtain," Michael Romeo of Symphony X -ed.]


Tracklisting:
Judas Must Die (3:38) / Phantom Rider (3:54) / Demon In Your Mind (3:21) / Heavy Cross To Bear (4:58) / The Bottomless Pit (3:50) / Full Metal Jacket (3:12) / The Presidio 27 (3:58) / Barker Ranch (3:41) / Napalm Nights (4:17) / Space Scam (3:59) / Behind The Curtain (5:19) / Bonus Tracks (digipack version): King Of All The Kings [also on JP edition) / Judas Must Die (video) / Behind-The-Scenes footage (video)

Musicians:
Sampo Axelsson - bass, keyboards
Patrik Johansson - vocals
Lars Chriss - guitars
Conny Pettersson - drums

Guests:

Richard Evensand - drums (12 (bonus track)) Michael Romeo - guitar solo (11)
Stefan Norgren - narration

Discography:
Lion's Share (1995/1997)
Two (1996/1997)
Perspective (2000) (re-issue of first 2 albums, plus bonus trks)
Entrance (2001)
Emotional Coma (2007)
Dark Hours (2009)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin SE

Added: September 27th 2009
Reviewer: Joshua "Prawg Dawg" Turner
Score:
Artist website: www.lionsshare.org
Hits: 2705
Language: english

  

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