House Of Lords
Saint of the Lost Souls
Frontiers Music Srl
2017
Funnily the reunited House Of Lords have been both quite consistent in frequency as well as in quality when it comes to putting their career back on track since 2000, a reunion that’s now been going on for some seventeen years, producing almost three times more albums that what the band released during their original run. This album also marks the recording debut of new bassist Chris Tristram, who’s taken over from the rather busy Chris McCarvill, since 2016.
“Saint of the Lost Souls” faces some fierce competition from the previous ten albums in the band’s back catalogue, but as soon as “Harlequin” unfolds, the lines are blurred and it’s difficult to say, whether it’s the early 90s or the late 10s… it’s that good. James Christian’s vocals have matured, becoming richer and smoother, but he doesn’t seem to have any issue, tonally which is great, after all this time…
“Oceans Divide” is another quality tune, with an urgent chorus and a blistering solo by Jimmy Bell, who’s been with the band for a dozen years and more than half a dozen albums.
“Hit the Wall” is more hi-tech-aor oriented, but the vocals are not all super smooth and silky, rather a little smokier, but that adds character me-thinks.
“Saint of the Lost Souls”, the title song, begins quite fast and furiously and had me wondering about the chorus, since the title seems to be a mouthful... but somehow it all fits and seems/sounds cool too.
“
The Sun Will Never Set Again” is a smooth and laid back acoustic number that creates its own micro-dynamics, within its fragile sound, with Christian resorting to very heady, but also strong sounding falsetto (and mixed) vocals.
“New Day Breaking” starts with a bit of a bittersweet intro that soon is replaced by a rather euphoric part, where a lover is asking for forgiveness, for his missteps and mistakes. Well provided you give a funk and you’re not over egotistical, biting the bullet and keeping a relationship alive, is sometimes the right thing to do.
“Reign of Fire” had me expecting something “fiesty” and fast and while it’s not breaking any speed limits, it’s uplifting and smooth melodies work pretty well, even if Christian sounds a little strained in places (or it could be that some of the cymbals – occupy similar frequencies as some of his vox, making things sound a bit odd).
“Concussion” is a moody mid-tempo with nice accents, which however seems a little underwhelming if not for a nice n short lead in its middle and a break that works well to recycle and release things.
In the “Art of Letting Go” the band gets it 100% right, between a tight enough set of verses, than don’t choke the song and a chorus that changes throughout the song, to reflect the progress… really well done tune…
“Grains of Sand” sounds “big” and “pompous” with its key sweeps, a spiritual successor to “Sahara”, but maybe I’d have liked it a bit, if it was a little more laid back with certain of its aspects, a bit more “over-produced”, since it sounds a tad rough…
“The Other Option” is another quite euphoric rocker, underlined by a rather “heavy” riff that’s how-ever quite encased in layers of keys, so as not to stick out… the whole lyric and style feels a bit experimental, I’d say a little inline with 80s Queen in a way (well not entirely – but taking chances in a similar way). A bit of a bizarre epilogue, imho.
The Japanese are also treated to a totally acoustic version of “The Sun Will Never Set Again”, which in all reality, sounds like the definitive version of the song… ah you lucky “bastirds”!
Surprisingly enough, House Of Lords keep on pumping out quality material at regular intervals and “Saint of the Lost Souls” is no different in the line of some great 10s HOL albums… well done gentlemen.
“Saint of the Lost Souls” faces some fierce competition from the previous ten albums in the band’s back catalogue, but as soon as “Harlequin” unfolds, the lines are blurred and it’s difficult to say, whether it’s the early 90s or the late 10s… it’s that good. James Christian’s vocals have matured, becoming richer and smoother, but he doesn’t seem to have any issue, tonally which is great, after all this time…
“Oceans Divide” is another quality tune, with an urgent chorus and a blistering solo by Jimmy Bell, who’s been with the band for a dozen years and more than half a dozen albums.
“Hit the Wall” is more hi-tech-aor oriented, but the vocals are not all super smooth and silky, rather a little smokier, but that adds character me-thinks.
“Saint of the Lost Souls”, the title song, begins quite fast and furiously and had me wondering about the chorus, since the title seems to be a mouthful... but somehow it all fits and seems/sounds cool too.
“
The Sun Will Never Set Again” is a smooth and laid back acoustic number that creates its own micro-dynamics, within its fragile sound, with Christian resorting to very heady, but also strong sounding falsetto (and mixed) vocals.
“New Day Breaking” starts with a bit of a bittersweet intro that soon is replaced by a rather euphoric part, where a lover is asking for forgiveness, for his missteps and mistakes. Well provided you give a funk and you’re not over egotistical, biting the bullet and keeping a relationship alive, is sometimes the right thing to do.
“Reign of Fire” had me expecting something “fiesty” and fast and while it’s not breaking any speed limits, it’s uplifting and smooth melodies work pretty well, even if Christian sounds a little strained in places (or it could be that some of the cymbals – occupy similar frequencies as some of his vox, making things sound a bit odd).
“Concussion” is a moody mid-tempo with nice accents, which however seems a little underwhelming if not for a nice n short lead in its middle and a break that works well to recycle and release things.
In the “Art of Letting Go” the band gets it 100% right, between a tight enough set of verses, than don’t choke the song and a chorus that changes throughout the song, to reflect the progress… really well done tune…
“Grains of Sand” sounds “big” and “pompous” with its key sweeps, a spiritual successor to “Sahara”, but maybe I’d have liked it a bit, if it was a little more laid back with certain of its aspects, a bit more “over-produced”, since it sounds a tad rough…
“The Other Option” is another quite euphoric rocker, underlined by a rather “heavy” riff that’s how-ever quite encased in layers of keys, so as not to stick out… the whole lyric and style feels a bit experimental, I’d say a little inline with 80s Queen in a way (well not entirely – but taking chances in a similar way). A bit of a bizarre epilogue, imho.
The Japanese are also treated to a totally acoustic version of “The Sun Will Never Set Again”, which in all reality, sounds like the definitive version of the song… ah you lucky “bastirds”!
Surprisingly enough, House Of Lords keep on pumping out quality material at regular intervals and “Saint of the Lost Souls” is no different in the line of some great 10s HOL albums… well done gentlemen.