House Of Lords: Indestructible

Melodic rockers House Of Lords may not have been quite as popular or achieved the levels of success of some of their-please excuse the term- hair band brothers back in the day, but unlike many of those bands, they are still together, making music that not only still matters, but is some of the best of their career. Their newest album Indestructible is the band’s tenth studio album and sixth under Frontiers Records. It is also marks the ten year anniversary of the band’s current line-up, which to this day is lead by singer James Christian. The album comes hot on the heels of 2014’s Precious Metal and the entire affair is bolstered by the stunning vocals of Christian’s wife Robin Beck, her exquisite harmonies on “Another Dawn” end up being one of the album’s true highlights. From the chants that begin it to the power chords that punctuate it, opener “Go to Hell” is a towering musical achievement that demands repeat listens, while title track “Indestructible” recalls the hard rocking brilliance of Demons Down or World Upside Down, with “Die to Tell” having a groove similar to “Rock Bottom” from that album. Tracks like “Pillar of Salt” and “Eye of the Storm” pick up where Cartesian Dreams and Big Money left off, continuing in the bold tradition of world class melodic AOR of the highest order and power ballad “We Will Always Be One” is the equivalent of “Remember My Name” from Sahara. Elsewhere, “100 MPH” is not just a title, but a mantra of how fast you’ll go if you listen to it while driving and features some of guitarist Jimi Bell’s best solo work to date, while the razor sharp vibrato of Christian’s voice on “Call My Bluff” cuts deep into your soul. Speaking of Bell, one listen to the Nuno Bettencourt tinged solo in “Ain’t Suicidal” and you’ll be left wondering why he isn’t one of the most sought after players in the industry and that Extreme vibe continues on into closer “Stand And Deliver,” a hook laden melodic anthem with a riff right off of the Pornograffitti  album. Here’s the bottom line. Indestructible is a mouth watering melodic masterpiece of the highest caliber, guaranteed to please even the most discerning of listeners. Rating: 9 out of 10 -Eric Hunker