LORDCHAIN - your thoughts on this band?

What are your thoughts on this band? You can hear three songs from their latest Cd on their MySpace player here:
http://www.firestream.net/custom/fs_rate.php?go=showcat&cat_id=436&narrow=num

I reviewed this CD after listening to it in my car on the way to work several different times over a couple weeks. I'm curious to see if others will agree with my thoughts.

ult

i really like what i'm hearing. they have a great vocalist. he kind of reminds me of Michael Sweets lower ranges at times. his vox sound great over the chunky modern riffs. they are listed as progressive, but i'd say thats inacurate. it sounds to me like pretty straight forward modern hard rock/metal.

No the takers?

Not sure what I think about them ... I like them.

But on the other hand, they don't seem to really 'stand out' if ya know what I mean. Not sure I'd buy this.

blackieboy wrote:

they don't seem to really 'stand out' if ya know what I mean. Not sure I'd buy this.

That's sort of what I thought too. There are things I like and don't like about the album. I'll post my review soon. I just want to see what others think.

ult

Lordchain - Finding Balance (Corduroy Productions) 2007

1. "Mystery" (2:35)
2. "Hiding Place" (3:30)
3. "Last Mile" (3:08)
4. "My Story" (3:28)
5. "Turbulence" (2:59)
6. "Life Aside" (4:23)
7. "Lost in the Noise" (3:30)
8. "Slipping Away" (4:15)
9. "Millstone" (3:54)
10. "Rise Up Again" (3:11)
11. "Never End" (3:13)
12. "Victim" (3:01)
13. "All I Have" (3:42)
14. "Breathe You In" (3:30)
15. hidden track" (:59)

I haven't heard a Lordchain release since "Cracked" in 2002. With that CD I remember hearing as big King's X/Galactic Cowboys influence. With "Finding Balance", Lordchain deliver mid-paced, straight forward, groove based, hard rock and seem to steer clear of the layered vocal melodies and big songwriting of the Galactic Cowboys and have embraced a slightly more modern sound. One of the members is wearing a Disciple shirt in the photo on the back of he CD so it may seem trite to say this, but I can certainly hear a Disciple influence on this album. "Finding Balance" loses the more progressive, artsy elements for a more straight forward hard rock approach.

Upon receiving this CD in the mail, I popped it into my car deck and played it each morning on my way to work for a couple weeks. It took me several listens to begin to appreciate some of the vocal hooks in the songs. "Millstone" and "Slipping Away" come to mind as two of the more memorable songs with somber, sing-along choruses. Unfortunately the album as a whole is a bit dull in that each song possesses the same, slow to mid-paced tempo. There is very little variety to be found here, with a few exceptions. There are a couple ballads. "All I Have" is a emotional, worship song and there is also a melancholy piano ballad right in the middle of the CD titled "Life Aside". "Rise Up Again" offers a short, twenty-second burst of double bass energy towards the end of the song. Alsol, in the middle of "Turbulence" there is a fast, double bass, thrash metal break that would have been sweet had it not been so short and had it been followed up with a guitar solo. There are very few solos to be found on "Finding Balance" with the exception of some simple, melodic solos here and there. It seems that Lordchain have bought into the idea that guitar solos are not an essential part of quality songwriting, which is a shame because there are some parts of the songs that could have used a shredding guitar solo, such as the break in "Turbulence". "Slipping Away" is one of the exceptions, as this song ends with some nice solo work.

Lyrically, Lordchain are about as bold a Christian band as you can find. Their songs are almost offered as if prayers to their Lord. Many of these songs deal with struggles withing the Christian walk and would be an encouragement to those with similar Christian beliefs.

The production is good for an independent release. Downtuned guitars, bass and drums are all clearly heard. The overall mix isn't overly complex, nor is it too clean. Lordchain do have a dirty, gritty, heavy sound that is bottom heavy without being muddy. Unfortunately I find the lack of variety in tempo and songwriting to leave me a bit cold. I think I might have liked it better if Lordchain had chosen the best 10 songs and released it. It might have made for a more interesting listen. I've actually had the same problem and have made similar comments about the more recent Disciple releases. Those who like the more mid-paced, groove of Disciple's "Back Again" will probably really enjoy this disc.

I like Lordchain, as a matter of fact I listened to their first 3 albums last night at work for the first time in about 6 months. I havent heard this album yet but Im sure I will sometime. They certainly arent a band that your average metalhead would take to right away, they kinda gotta grow on ya a bit.

I love the new album!!! I put it on my top 5 albums of 2007.

fishingd wrote:

I love the new album!!! I put it on my top 5 albums of 2007.

Cool. Do you think my review was fair?

Did you think they took a more simplistic, hard rock approach on this one as compared to the last few?

ultmetal wrote:

No the takers?

what does that mean? was that directed at my post?

ultmetal wrote:

fishingd wrote:

I love the new album!!! I put it on my top 5 albums of 2007.

Cool. Do you think my review was fair?

Did you think they took a more simplistic, hard rock approach on this one as compared to the last few?

I think your review was fair. I think the album was a great followup to "Looking Past the Moment". I think they did a great job with the driving guitars on this album, especially with the remake of "Never End" I like you reviews Scott because they're from years of doing reveiws and I know it's from the heart..

They sounds like a skilled band but I can't stand that modern "heavy" rock style that so many bands play these days.

mc666 wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

No the takers?

what does that mean? was that directed at my post?

No. Since no one else posted other than you and the thread was falling
to the bottom of the page, I was asking if anyone else might be
interested in checking this band out and posting their thoughts.

ult

I had their first LP, I think I may have one more, back when I was only listening to "christian music", I would pretty much buy anything, now I won't suffer mediocrity.

Temple of Blood wrote:

They sounds like a skilled band but I can't stand that modern "heavy" rock style that so many bands play these days.

I agree with you Jim.. But I wound not classified LordChain as modern "heavy" rock.

Downtuned, groove based hard rock.

I also like the side project called Stepcousin that Kelly and Jeff do from LordChain

ultmetal wrote:

Downtuned, groove based hard rock.

Exactly. That is what I was getting at.

And to add insult to injury many people call this metal.

I just didn't think the material was that good, at least what I've heard.

Temple of Blood wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

Downtuned, groove based hard rock.

Exactly. That is what I was getting at.

And to add insult to injury many people call this metal.

LOL!!!! Thats true!!