Overall
Dead Lord
Surrender
Century Media
Hard Rock
FFO: Thin Lizzy, Horisont, Wytch Hazel, The Night Flight Orchestra
Dead Lord managed to break onto the scene back in 2013 and since then, the Swedish rockers have released a steady stream of albums and with each release the Dead Lord sound has been consolidated into something that is recognisable in the contemporary world. This year has Dead Lord returning with their latest album ‘Surrender’.
Anyone already familiar Dead Lord’s sound will be happy to discover that ‘Surrender’ keeps well within the Dead Lord remit. Therefore, what the listener gets with this album is a retro 1970’s sound; one that takes in the classic Thin Lizzy Gorham/Robertson sound with its twin-guitar harmonising runs and syncopated beats that can be seen during ‘Distance Over Time’, ‘Evil Always Wins’ and the title track.
However, the main issue with ‘Surrender’ is that musically it is far too indistinguishable from Thin Lizzy at times and it is only the vocals of Hakim Krim that remind the listener who they are listening to. Yet, the songs here on ‘Surrender’ are full of grooves that are really catchy and infectious and although Krim may lack that roguish, romantic poet charm exhibited by Lynott, that certainly does not take away from what Dead Lord accomplish with ‘Surrender’ as Krim guides the ship forward with some passionately delivered vocals.
Furthermore, this is not an album which sits forever in the past and what Dead Lord deliver are a collection of songs which also holds onto the present with an excellent production that allows these songs to strike out and stand tall on their own without relying on Thin Lizzy-isms.
Once again, Dead Lord have managed to deliver an album of driving hard rock that is thoroughly enjoyable and any self-respecting fan of hard rock should check it out.
7/10
Adam McCann
