Lord: Digital Lies (2013)

A Bad First Impression, But Solid Album

Review by Metallattorney. He is the law.

First things first, the awful title. This is the kind of title you would have expected in the 1990's when that newfangled internet showed up, but now it just seems outdated. That, added to the cover that looks like something out of a cheap SyFy channel movie is not really the best way to make a first impression.

I will admit I was a little surprised by the sound. I probably shouldn't be anymore, but I was a little surprised by the upbeat power metal. I was expecting something darker. But this is not the "flower" metal style made popular by bands like Sonata Arctica, Rhapsody, or anyone like that. This is the more extreme form of power metal which found its roots in groups like Jag Panzer in the United States. Lord is the new band of Lord Tim (pretty sure that's a Monty Python reference), who previously headed Dungeon in Australia. I was never really familiar with Dungeon other than hearing the name occasionally, but they had a decent track record.


Lord's sound is typical of modern power metal bands. There are some aggressive riffs and some very impressive vocals. The band focuses on crafting memorable songs with catchy choruses and hooks. It is not something unusual for this genre but it has become increasingly unusual in other metal genres. What results is a fun, high-paced and energetic album that actually sticks in the memory. This reminds me a lot of Dream Evil, the sound is very similar, light-hearted power metal with strong vocals that does not descend into the dreaded "flower" metal sound.

For the most part, the songs are pretty well-written and stay away from the standard "swords and sorcery" lyrical themes that a lot of power metal bands gravitate towards. There are still some cheesy moments, the song "2D Person in a 3D World" is really awful. The gang vocals and ridiculous lyrics certainly do not help. But that is the one bad song in the bunch. The rest are solid songs without any real high highs but no low lows either.

This is a pretty solid release. It does not really do anything we have not heard before in power metal but it does not descend to the cheesiness that so much of the genre does.

THE VERDICT
I give this album 3 out of 5 stars.