Heavy Metal History
alpha128 | Cleveland, OH USA | 04/15/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Dark Hours" (2009) by Lion's Share is a concept album about one of the most turbulent decades in U.S. history. But while the lyrics address the 1960s, the music is firmly rooted in the heavy metal of the 1980s.
The album begins in the best way possible with the outstanding "Judas Must Die". This song is simple, but incredibly powerful.
Such a commanding start would be difficult for most bands to maintain. But Lion's Share keeps going strong on a historical journey through topics such as the Vietnam War ("Full Metal Jacket"), the Manson Family ("Barker Ranch"), and moon landing conspiracy theories ("Space Scam").
An album like this could come across as self-indulgent if the songwriting and performances weren't equal to the ambitious concept. Fortunately, they are.
Patrik Johansson gives another outstanding Dio-esque vocal performance. Unlike his work in Astral Doors, this music has strong Judas Priest influences. However, "Heavy Cross to Bear" has a Dio-era Sabbath sound that would not seem out of place on Astral Doors' Evil Is Forever.
Meanwhile, Lars Chriss does extremely proficient double duty as both guitarist and producer.
Highlights include the aforementioned "Judas Must Die" and... everything else. The lack of standout songs is actually a testament to how consistently good this album is.
In conclusion, for a Swedish band Lion's Share is remarkably well versed in American history. I didn't know what "The Presidio 27" and "Barker Ranch" were until I consulted Wikipedia. Who knew that headbanging could be so educational?"
If you like Dio, then you're bound to enjoy Lion's Share.
Ghost In The Ruins | The Volunteer State | 04/13/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"If you enjoy Dio, then this is a no brainer for you! With that said, it's not a generic effort. The songs are well written, constructed, and produced. In addition, this isn't a generic form of power metal either. In other words, it's not fast, repetitive riffing from start to finish. Most of the music is crunchy, mid-tempo anthems, with catchy choruses to boot."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1