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Dead Lord

Goodbye Repentance

Written by: EW on 21/04/2013 19:42:30

Of the many works I've reviewed in recent times united by a desire to proffer a sound deliberately against the grain of the modern day, this debut album from Swedes Dead Lord is the first to use the template of Thin Lizzy for it's classic rock attack and has resulted in a very enjoyable collection of bluesy, no-frills rock that is eminently agreeable from first listen. Think of the club days of classic acts like Lizzy and AC/DC or recent acts like Christian Mistress as for where Dead Lord are at: this is not the massive stomp required for filling arenas but instead sweaty songs steeped in a knowledge of their genre, an acute sense of album-orientated dynamics, a vibrant musical performance and any number of well-written songs that belie the inexperience of the foursome as a unit.

Dead Lord first came to my attention with the release of this marvellously effective low-budget video last year, backed by a rocking and rolling track that though not on this album gives a good indication of how they sound now. In spirit the album is rooted in the 70s and though the production is not a mere dusty replica of that era's sound the dual melodies overlaying a predominantly clean bass tone and the beat of a small drumkit in the likes of "Onkalo" showcase little from any musical trend of the past 30 years. With that aforementioned Thin Lizzy vibe the upbeat feel makes "Goodbye Repentance" a very different beast to all those doomy Sabbath-influenced revival records I have had the pleasure of reviewing of late, speaking for a mainstream accessibility to "Because of Spite" with it's rising choral intonations and subtle AC/DC anachronisms, "Envying the Dead" with a rolling bass line that nicely grounds it's flailing solos and first track "Hank", with an opening line in "Hank's in trouble with girls again" that in Hakim Krim's twangy dialect lends an engaging introduction to the album. "No More Excuses" ups the blues dosage in its stripped down opening three minutes, notching up an opportunity for a more reflective stance in the band to break free before the switch out of first gear brings a collection of riffs that owe as much to Enforcer (with whom the band share bassist Tobbe Lindkvist) as they do Christian Mistress or Diamond Head. A fine song it is.

The relaxed nature of "Goodbye Repentance" could be both a positive and negative in ensuring success for Dead Lord, as these songs sound destined for an excellent live rendition but may be just a touch too derivative for universal recorded acclaim. Let it not be mistaken though that for a band barely a year old and pleasingly ignorant of much that has made modern records such soulless affairs, this is a record to admire and enjoy for all the ages.

Download: No More Excuses, Hank, Onkalo
For The Fans Of: Christian Mistress, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC
Listen: Band Website

Release date: 05.04.2013
High Roller Records