On disc: House Of Lords

 
 The Power And The Myth
 
- Sandra Bucher -
 
 


 
 World Upside Down
 
- Victor Castillo -
 
 


 
 Come To My Kingdom
 
- Victor Castillo -
 
 


 
 Cartesian Dreams
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Cartesian Dreams
 
- Umberto Mino -
 
 


 
 Big Money
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 

Big Money

(Frontiers Records - 2011)



 
 

 

With Big Money James Christian and his House Of Lords present their 8th studio album. It's the follow up of 2009's Cartesian Dreams. Line-up's the same, so let's see what they have to offer!



The title track kicks off with a few words spoken by a woman - the root of all evil, she says - and James Christian screams 'Money'! So very true. The House Of Lords heads into a mid-paced rocker with 80's style harmony vocals and neo-classical guitar play. With One Man Down they bring back the Demons Down era, an expressive acoustic guitar-driven part opens this one, but then they go full force and the Demons Down elements are gone. It's powerful track with 80's backings, a dash of Whitesnake and modern guitar play. At First To Cry the guitar echoes the vocal line for a moment which sound very cool. A quite typical House Of Lords tune and I would wish Mr. Christian would have give guitarist Jimi Bell a bit more space. Songs like Someday When and Searchin' are decent rockers, but aren't ear catchers. Run For Your Life needs a few spins to grow, but then it's haunting you. The songs in general grow on you, but I really miss an ear catcher, something which hooks you up right away.



The first songs are the strongest in my opinion, but fans of House Of Lords won't be disappointed.

 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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Cartesian Dreams

(Frontiers - 2009)



 
 

 

New CD of James Christian and his House Of Lords and once again, from their new centuries return, very good hard rock quality is guaranteed. Also this new album Cartesian Dreams give us a bunch of nice songs full of melodies and solid guitar riffs, a trademark of this band. Here we start with the title track, a solid hard rock song and the following Born To Be My Baby reminds us to the legendary 1988 debut album!!! Desert Rain is another good track, Sweet September is the classic ballad of this CD. Bangin' brings you back on the rock standard of this CD. The following A Simple Plan is for me the low point of this CD. And Never Look Back tries to bring them back at the high level of the initial songs with his multi-voice chorus and his keyboards..... The Bigger They Come and Repo Man are nothing more than the appetizer for the following Saved By Rock. Joanna and the bonus track The Train close this CD.

House Of Lords this time again have assembled a bunch of good songs, but not enough... From bands like these we always want more than the good, because they have the knowledge and the ability to do something better!!!
 
 










Umberto Mino


  
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Cartesian Dreams

(Frontiers - 2009)



 
 

 

House Of Lords is the band of singer James Christian and with Cartesian Dreams they present a new album. After a symphonic opening they get quite heavy... The title track Cartesian Dreams is heavy, guitar-driven and has all the trademarks of the House Of Lords sound! Every hard rock fan will know what to expect from Mr. Chrisian and his mates, and that's what they deliver one more time! At the opener everybody gets a chance to shine... BJ Zampa with some drum rolls and guitarist Jimi Bell with a short solo. But even if bassist Chris McCarvill didn't step up-front, this bass is prominent and adds a heavy punch to the title track. And the tune ends like it began with strings. Next in line Born To Be Your Baby, a good track which would be the highlight at almost every other album, but it don't match the high quality level of House Of Lords! Anyway, with Arabic sounds and a piece taken from George W. Bush speech they head into Desert Rain. This is want House Of Lords are about! A catchy melodic track with crunchy riffs, a great harmonies and emotional vocals! An ear catcher! After the balladesque track Sweet September they deliver a melodic metal track called Bangin'. A Simple Plan is a hard rock-based tune with heavy riffs, a metal edge. Jimi Bell's emotional guitar play leads you into The Bigger They Come, this is House Of Lords at their best! Harmony vocals, great guitar parts, a heavy punch and the expressive vocals of Mr. Christian. What more can you ask for? A dash retro sounds they add at Repo Man where they also use some female backings. Not really a bad one, but compared to the others it isn't that strong. An AC/DC-like rocker is Saved By Rock... But James Christian's vocals and the harmonic vocal parts make it differ from the Australian rockers. Another stomping rocker is Joanna, a song with a happy vibe. As a bonus track they have chosen The Train, a melancholy track which ends Cartesian Dreams.

Fans of House Of Lords won't be disappointed and every fan of hard rock and melodic metal should give it a try! The lords still manage to deliver cool songs which sound fresh and are far from being backdated!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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Come To My Kingdom

(Frontiers - 2008)



 
 

 

The perfect sequel to the great World Upside Down has confirmed that James Christian and his new partner in crime are very serious about the intention to give us great rock 'n' roll after years and years of abscence of the Lords of this scene. Now without Guiffria they keyboards are taken over by bass player Jeff Kent as you can hear on the opening overture which us followed by a dark, but melodic song calles Come To My Kingdom. Well, James Christan's voice seems to get better with time as he proves along the album. Its very melodic, maybe an AOR jewel... But as always the media seems to ignore this awesome band. They should be the Journey of this decade, but... Ok, I really enjoy songs like The Dream, Your Every Move and Even Love Can Save Us, but one that deserve to be mentioned is the ballad Another Day From Heaven, a beautiful musical piece, a solid rhythm section and powerful guitar work next to Christian's voice which makes this a must-have CD! No matter that there are no speedy songs on this one, they prove that it's not necessary to have one to make a masterpiece, even if a fast song would bring the album to a higher level.

The bass intro to One Foot In The Dark will make your foot stomp on the floor, so don't waste time to get your copy, a six-pack and a cure lady - if you like ladies, if not, get what you like! - and enjoy this little present from the House Of Lords!
 
 










Victor Castillo


  
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World Upside Down

(Frontiers - 2006)



 
 

 

James Christian wasn't happy with the way The Power And The Myth turned out and how it was decived, but he didn't want to give up! And now returns with an all new line-up - but with the blessing of Gregg Guiffria and his colaboration on the keyboards - ans this time we get what we were expecting from this band since 1992. Well, the new line-up did waht the old one couldn't!

Mask Of Eternity open up the album with the pompous keys of Mr. Guiffria and then These Are The Times take us back in time with a solid rock guitar and the great choirs that made House Of Lords what they are. Yes, I know this isn't the old line-up, but they really deserve to carry on with the name! Jeff Kent on bass, Jimmi Bell on guitar and B.J. Zampa on drums are the new owners of the House that bring to the people great ballads, powerful songs and even a speed song - but this one only on the Japanese version. And again, why only Japan get the bonus tracks? So if you love the first album, Sahara and Demons Down, this is exactly what you want to listen to since then. Songs like I'm Free, Rock Bottom, Ghost Of Time or My Generation gives us some great hard rock. All The Pieces Falling and World Upside Down will chill the ballad lovers and as I said before, if you get hold of the Japanese version you can hear Gone - a fast song that makes clear that House Of Lords could turn to metal, if they want to. So if you felt disappointed by The Power And The Myth with it's cold feel, this is the perfect cure! But if you love that album, just step aside, because good old House Of Lords has returned to their roots!
 
 










Victor Castillo


  
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The Power And The Myth

(Frontiers - 2004)



 
 

 

After more then 10 years the American melodic rocker House Of Lords are back. Only keyboarder Greg Guiffria is missing, but everybody else from the original line-up is on board again. James Christian and his colleagues got a helping hand on the keys by former Dream Theater Derek Shirinian and Ricky Phillips. On their 4th album the Lords sound darker. The guitar sound is more up-to-date. The voice of James Christian isn't as good as in the 80's, but he still is a great singer. Songs like Child Of Rage and All Is Gone are bringing back the 80's. Also Today is in the vain of their classic albums. The songs starts slowly with some Spanish-influenced guitars and keyboard sounds, then the band joins in. A groovy rocker with a catchy touch. Dark and sometimes threatening. One of my favorites and a good choice to get an idea about House Of Lords 2004.

On The Rapture the band included Indian / oriental sounds which makes this one really interesting. While Bitter Sweet Euphoria is another dark and threatening one. The title track is an instrumental where the guys can show that they are all masters on their instruments. On some tracks - like on Today - you can even find some progressive elements. More progressive rock then prog metal fragments.

A modern melodic rock album which isn't sound happy. But live isn't always happiness. For me a decent comeback album, even if there will be people complaining that it isn't another Sahara...
 
 










Sandra Bucher
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)

  
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