Album review : LORDS OF BLACK – Mechanics Of Predacity

Frontiers [Release date : 15.03.24]

The Lords Of Black are on their sixth album now, so they must be doing something right,

Mechanics… is a thematically sound treatise on the human condition, in which they“embark on a profound exploration of humanity’s primal instinct”. It’s about Prey and Predator. And Survival, although it doesn’t actually use that word.

Guitarist, producer, writer, Tony Hernando is the prime mover of course. He’s never been short of ambition. Vocalist Ronnie Romero plays his part too. His voice, melodic and muscular, wrings out every emotion that the words attempt to convey.

And this is ambitious stuff, musically adventurous and rewarding. That said, the opening track, ‘For What Is Owed To Us’, in navigating a sticky web of bass heavy, sludgy riffs and seismic rhythms sometimes struggles to get a strong grip on the subject matter.

Then everything changes. The powerful second track ‘Let The Nightmare Come’ begins life as a taut, battle hardened bruiser. Its transformation, over the bridge and chorus, into streamlined, sharp edged metal is a joy to behold. The lyrical challenge “Who’s gonna stand their ground, tell me you won’t back down” carries some weight now.

The changes in pace and atmosphere as the narrative progresses and the story unfolds are handled with skill by Hernando.

Arguably, ‘Crown Of Thorns’ and ‘Can We Be Heroes Again?’ map the co-ordinates of the band’s ultimate destination. They sound tough, heavy, but again, songcraft takes precedence over all those amps humming in the room. Hernando’s measured power chords and the incisive lyrics are truly beginning to bite.

‘I Want the Darkness To Stop’ is clearly the album’s peak moment. This is epic Power Metal, lyrically personal, and (as a result) it forms a powerful statement in support of the album’s overarching aims.

‘Build The Silence’ and ‘A World That’s Departed’ see out the story on an upbeat, well defined note, showcasing the band’s blossoming power/prog artistry. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)