Way back “in the day”, Lionheart formed and were tagged as a New Wave of British Heavy Metal super-group given they boasted the likes of ex-Iron Maiden guitarist Dennis Stratton and other luminaries such as Steve Mann and Rocky Newton.
One album saw the light of day – Hot Tonight – which was (and still is) a fine slab of melodic heaviness. A reformation for the 2016 Rockingham Festival ensured that Dennis “got the band back together”. And lo – the band has put out a very slick and enjoyable new album entitled Second Nature.
Stratton, Mann and Newton are joined by Clive Edwards (Wild Horses et-al) and the rather fine vocals of Lee Small (ex-Shy et-al) with the five of them having such a musical pedigree between them it’s be hard for them not to record a good album. And they certainly have not disappointed.
Second Nature is about as fine an example of hook-laden, soaring yet powerful melodic metal/rock as you will hear anywhere. Small’s pipes are clear and fresh. Stratton cuts clean solos and joins with Mann to chug out melodic chord after chord with Mann’s keyboards making for a fuller sound and variety. Edwards and Newton as solid a rhythm section as there is.
All those combined years with Liar, Maiden, UFO, Schenker and others they have between them have not gone to waste.
A brief instrumental lead-in flows in to Give Me the Light as it chugs along with a steady riff and a huge chorus. Fine work from Stratton. Next is arguably an odd one. A cover of Chris De Burgh’s Don’t Pay the Ferryman. Now I’m not a fan of covers. But Lionheart pull it off and make it their own.
Angels With Dirty Faces harks back to the 1930s painting a picture of the Chicago gangster days. More chunky chords, keys and lead breaks with a monster bridge. Made the think of the old Jimmy Cagney film of the same name.
Next up is another impossibly catchy tune – 30 Years – acting as a sort of mini-biography of Mr Stratton: “Just and ordinary East End boy setting out upon my Maiden voyage. From the roughest side of town to the Marquee. In Sounds and NME and Running Free. Hmmmmm – what could that be about I wonder?
And on and on the album goes. Each one is a winner. Prisoner being another example. Here’s the band performing the song at Rockingham:
Not a weak link or filler anywhere. Perhaps the closing trio are the stand-outs on an album of stand-outs. Time is Watching, Heartbeat Radio and Lionheart are instantly memorable and that bit heavier. All impressively put together.
It’s impossible not to get caught up in it as foot begins to tap and you’re drawn in to the sing-along choruses. The Lion is most certainly roaring. The NWOBHM-ers yet again demonstrate how relevant they remain after the decades with talent undiminished. Top, top stuff indeed.
Don’t think about it – just buy it. Second Nature is that good!
>> LIONHEART SECOND NATURE ON AMAZON HERE <<
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