Here come the Swedes again. Their genre artistry knows no bounds as evidenced by "Surrender" the new release from DEAD LORD (2012) of Stockholm, Sweden. "Surrender" is DEAD LORD's fourth record following their breakthrough album "In Ignorance We Trust" of 2017, "Heads Held High" in 2015 and "Goodbye Repentance" of 2013. "Surrender" is a malted milkshake of sweet licks and syrupy solos, frothy tunes that hit you in the feels and fill your rock and roll cup till it over-floweth. And I ask you my Metal Temple mates, who among us can not use a good hit in the feels?

"Surrender" was conceived, written and performed by Hakim Krim on lead, heart-wrenching vocals and screaming electric guitar, Martin Nordin on mid-range-madness-guitar and angelic backing vocals, and Adam Lindmark on the mayhem-like pandemoniac expression of animal instinct that are the drums. The thunderous low-range groove-duty of the electric bass guitar was shared between Hakim and Martin for ultimate down lowness. The newly suped-up configuration of DEAD LORD, joined by Ryan Kemp on live bass, has opened up a new sonic highway, picking up the pace and turbo revving their songs to MotoGP engine spec levels. DEAD LORD draws musical inspiration from NAZARETH, early ZZ TOP and FREE and a whole bloody lot from THIN LIZZY. Front-man and vocal doppelganger to one Mr. Lynott singer Hakim Krim waxes soporific, "We're sticking to the old way of looking at the world through hopeless glasses. A bit of heart break and a reflection of the times we live in. Trying to channel what's wrong with the world and ourselves into a snappy upbeat rock record. Rock now, cry later."

Humbucking their way into the mixing desk of Robert Pehrsson's Studio Humbucker in Stockholm, DEAD LORD couldn't have found a more fitting sparring partner for their 10 rounds of untamed rawk, face-melting vintage amplifiers cooking on max with sophisticated retro-chic finesse that will twin-guitar you into a frenzy - "Surrender" is an album you submit to. Let the sub-mission begin! Inside I'm dying what's become of me, stumbling drunk down on Allen Street ... 'Letter from Allen Street' is the sound of love, my Metal Temple mates. It just don't get much better than this - verses, chorus and bridge bounded by guitar parts that come together in levitating musicality to lift us to the high-temple of higher ground ... this is the way it was meant to be ... 'Authority' is seductive in its description of Authority with a capital A, a cracking anti-authority song that should be played on every radio station in this world at least a few times a day. The Swede bands never forget the idea of a nuclear song and this one is the Little Big Man of magnetic lyrical payload cloaked in whip hand-rocklear bombast.

Join the offender ... 'Evil Always Wins' is a rocker that just won't quit; these songs never let you play in the Aioli of life - it is both barrels of melodious wasabi up the snoot-holes here, my brothers and sisters. 'Messin' Up' takes a rather adult and introspective tack at what could be the only song that goes into ballad territory, and be-bop rock ballad territory at that. Take us to the end of your broken highway, Lead us by the empty dreams you sow ... 'Dark End of the Rainbow' is like a rainbow in the dark; well-not really. In a song that could easily be full of cliché or doltish and dopey imagery, this song scores with me as a song of desire, aspiration and optimism; never giving the fuck up on your life and your dreams. Bravo.

'Bridges' lets Adam Lindmark sound off with a buffeting and pummeling show of war circle tom toms while Adam and Martin stage a mad riff-off of ominous 6 string stalking rhythms and harmonized leads while the bridges that burn light the way ... Close to breaking down I better be leaving town ... 'Gonna Get Me' is a paranoid tale of psychotic lapse and flight set to some damn fine dual guitar hysterics. 'Dystopia' closes out this tour de force of Arrrd Rock grunt, grind and grease.

Hakim Krim - This dude got a pantie dropping voice, one big part Phil Lynott with a touch of Paul Stanley caterwaul. The rest of the band cracks as well with Martin Nordin (who did duty as previous live bass player as well) dropping full payloads of mad reciprocal complementing guitar riffs and runs. DEAD LORD is the Foie gras pasta with Marsala statement du rawk - delectable and full of Marsala sea shanty sass, like hanging out at Barbro restaurant until the sake is gone and it's time to hit the stage when your head is just right. For an additional treat, check out the Rockplast concert video from 2014 on YouTube that show these cats have always been for real and bending minds for the last decade. I have been wondering where rockers like this are - if any still exist. Well, they still do rawk among us and they are located over in Sweden. Have a listen to "Surrender" - the best 40 minutes you will spend this year listening to music...

I say olde chaps, If you might have a Space Gremlin T-shirt, Chocolate Brown size L squirreled away in the DEAD LORD castle vaults, I would surely appreciate it - they are sho-nuff sold out on your merch site...

DEAD LORD merchandise link https://www.deadlord.com/merch.htm

Svindbra ¡! Så JA!!!! dani bandoliers Spotify lista över granskade musikkår ...

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/272H3UBARsuksY3BqU0CzP?si=OmpMltIRRl-1RCm9BwYXxg