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LION’S SHARE “Inferno”
LION’S SHARE “Inferno”
By Colonel Angus
Now here is a blast from the past. Quite frankly, I thought LION’S SHARE broke up and we would never hear from them again but lo and behold, 2026 sees a new release by this Swedish outfit. Realistically, this is the vehicle for guitarist Lars Chriss who started the band back in the late 80s. With much of their output thrust upon us in the 90s and early 2000s, they disappeared with only a minor EP in 2018. I was first exposed to them with the “Emotional Coma” record and had to work my way backwards. What drew me initially to them was powerhouse vocalist Nils Patrik Johansson but after more exposure to their catalogue, I have grown to really enjoy Chriss’ guitar work and songwriting. This new album is just what I expected from them (him) and it is one of their best releases if not their best.
What we get here is nine tunes of catchy heavy metal that flows from power metal to Dio-era BLACK SABBATH with a couple of stops in between. Opener “Pentagram” is a great power metal workout with this cool riff that is almost modern metal flavor without fully committing to it, leaving plenty of room for that classic metal sound. Johansson’s vocals are still as powerful as they were on “Emotional Coma” almost two decades ago. Things switch a bit to an almost ACCEPT-like pounder with a chorus that reminds me of WARLOCK’s “All We Are”. I can see “We Are What We Are“ becoming a concert staple in their set. “We Will Rock” is next and it's a fine track but it does come really close to “We Rock” by DIO and while it is not exactly like the DIO tune, it is a little too close.
Opting for something a little more epic, “The Lion’s Trial” is a powerful piece that switches from dramatic verses to a heavy epic chorus that makes this a one of the focal points on “Inferno”. While I like all the material here, I find myself returning to this track a lot, often hitting the repeat button after just listening to it. Next up, we get “Baptized in Blood” which has a Dio-era SABBATH vibe, mostly the “Mob Rules” album sound. What I really like about this one is that it captures that early 80s SABBATH atmosphere while still retaining the LION’S SHARE identity. Keeping their power metal credentials fresh in our minds, they hit us with “Live Forever” which straddles the line between power metal and traditional metal perfectly.
Chriss and company keep the speed element going on “Chain Child” that contains a DIO-esque chorus that will have you humming it for days. Sticking to faster power metal material, “Another Desire” has an awesome galloping riff that flows through the whole song. Making sure not to front-end the disk with all the best material at the beginning, LION’S SHARE save some of their best for last as this one and “Run for Your Life” cap off a great record. The latter is this awesome doom metal stomper in the tradition of SABBATH with Dio but with a unique mid-section that surprises the listener with some unexpected sounds. All in all, “Inferno” is a stormer of a record and not only a fine addition to their catalogue but quite possibly, their best. Maybe because it is new and fresh, but I can’t seem to get enough of this record and I know “Inferno” will be part of my playlist for the rest of the year. I’m glad they are back - I just hope it isn’t another seventeen years between releases.
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