Album review: LAST IN LINE – Heavy Crown

Frontiers www.frontiers.it [Release date 19.02.16]

How poignant that, as I write this review, it is just hours since the news broke that bass player Jimmy Bain has died. A member of Rainbow, Thin Lizzy and a pivotal part of Dio, it is this album that will be his last recorded work.

The band features guitarist Vivian Campbell, drummer Vinny Appice alongside Bain, the three of whom had been players and co-writers on the massively successful Dio albums “Holy Diver”, “Last In Line“ and “Sacred Heart”, and was originally put together to pay tribute to the late Ronnie James Dio. Due to the success of this, and the fact that fans wanted more, the band soon signed to Frontiers and set about creating debut album “Heavy Crown”.

The addition of vocalist Andrew Freeman is a great one as the band has a great chemistry and whilst he does not mimic Dio, Last In Line stay faithful to the legacy of the band. The album was produced by Jeff Pilson, who has done a sterling job of capturing the band’s energy and spirit while still retaining the raw heaviness of the material.

As you would imagine from a band of this calibre there is not a weak moment amongst the album’s 11 tracks with “Devil In Me”, “Starmaker”, “Burn This House Down”, “I Am Revolution”, “Blame It On Me” and “Curse The Day” standing out as highlights.

With “Heavy Crown” Last In Line have produced a great debut album and one that does justice to the band’s history, and whilst this project may be edged in sadness – whether it be the death of Dio himself, Vivian Campbell’s ongoing cancer issues throughout the album’s making and now Bain’s passing, one can only hope that this is just the first of many albums to come. *****

Review by Nikk Gunns

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)