Album Review: Lord - 'Set In Stone'

Born from the ashes of Dungeon, Australia’s Lord slot nicely between that blunt, straight to the point heavy rock and the old school mannerisms of 80’s speed metal.  

Grandiose choruses, unrelenting double bass and Maiden inspired vocals, Lord run the gamut of power metal’s extravagant musical range. Extended melodies give way to driving riffs and vocal refrains while staying consistent with the overstated theatrics of the power metal genre the band derives their influence from.  

Indifferent interlude opener ‘Species of the Ascendant’ is quickly made up for by the aptly titled ‘Redemption’, a five-minute exercise in pounding rock that gives the metronome a good beating.

Other tracks, such as ‘Beyond the Light’ follow suit while ‘Be My Guest’ is essentially open mike (or rather, open guitar) night – with the band, as well as musical guests trading solo after solo. It might be a touch on the vanity side having a succession of solos for eight minutes, however, it is hard to consider metal without a good extensive tag-team guitar duel.  

There is nothing groundbreaking here but it does not make the album any less flashy. Album closer, ‘On a Night like This’ (yes, a cover of that insufferable Kylie Minogue song) is worth a listen if only to hear the addition of double kick and down tuned guitars. 

Like the genre and musical period Lord derives its inspiration from, ‘Set in Stone’ is twelve tracks of no-nonsense, head banging noise.

1. Species of the Ascendant
2. Redemption
3. 100 Reasons
4. Eternal Storm
5. Set in Stone
6. Someone Else’s Dream
7. Eternal Storm
8. Beyond the Light
9. The End of Days
10. Be My Guest
11. New Horizons
12. On a Night Like This