Lord Francis Soto
Battle Royale
Label: Escape Music
Out: 20th March 2026
Playing time: 49:00
Singer and guitarist Francis Soto recently wrote to me. Among other things, he is the singer of the German Power/Progressive Metal band Ivory Tower. In March, his solo project “Lord Francis Soto” will release the album “Battle Royale.”
The opener “Take Me Into The Flames” clearly shows where this is headed. Hard but Melodic Metal, mostly in the mid-tempo range. Francis Soto sings with a pleasant, slightly raspy voice. “While The Night Still Knows My Name” starts with fast guitars. Later, it returns to mid-tempo. “My Soul Is Black” also starts with fast guitar melodies. Later, the vocals seem a little deeper and raspier. Roaring guitars open “One Night In Tokyo.” The calm vocals are accompanied by hard drumming and subtle keyboard layers. This continues in the following songs. Whether “Far And Away,” “The Devil Is A Banger,” “Life Is A Bitch,” or “Heart Of The Storm” – hard riffs, powerful vocals, booming drums (with occasional double bass), many beautiful melodies, and distinctive guitar solos define the sound. Added to this is the frequent use of keyboard instruments to accompany the songs. Despite all this, each song sounds slightly different. In between, a powerful bass line can be heard on “Thunderroad.” Shortly before the end, the guitars roar again on “Pain Of Missing.” After that, “Soulbreaker” is a little quieter, apart from the crashing drums and some hard guitar licks. The title track “Battle Royale” ends the album. Here, Francis Soto once again sets a very fast tempo. The musicians are literally driven by the double bass attacks.
“Battle Royale” should be a treat for any rock and metal enthusiast. The twelve songs provide excellent entertainment. The songwriting is varied. The drums, with Axel Thorn doing hard work, and the guitars, whether riffing or soloing, provide the heaviness. Not to forget the keyboards, which are important to the sound but never push themselves into the foreground.
Lineup:
Francis Soto – Vocals, Guitar
Timothy Reid – Guitars, Bass
Axel Thorn – Drums
Nico Raines – Keyboards
Martin Gauker – Background, Additional Vocals
Track list:
- Take Me Into The Flames
- While The Night Still Knows My Name
- My Soul Is Black
- One Night In Tokyo
- Far And Away
- The Devil Is A Banger
- Thunderroad
- Life Is A Bitch
- Heart Of The Storm
- Pain Of Missing
- Soulbreaker
- Battle Royale
Overall
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Album - 8/10
8/10
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Cover-Art - 8/10
8/10
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Songwriting - 9/10
9/10
