Staring at the cover of Black Bonzo's debut Lady of the Light, then letting the proggy, hard rocking music take you over, you'd be hard pressed to believe that this album was recorded in 2004, and not 1972. Yes, this is vintage sounding, totally retro stuff here, deliciously so I might add, and sure to make fans of early 70's prog bands drool with ecstasy. Black Bonzo are from Sweden, and the band members on this recording are Patrick Leandersson on bass, Mike Israel on drums, Magnus Lindgren on vocals, Joachim Karlsson on guitars, and Nicklas Ahlund on keyboards (organ, piano, Mellotron, synthesizers).
Instant comparisons to early 70's Uriah Heep are the first thing that pop up, especially due to the heavy Hammond organ and guitar feel, but Lindgren's vocals also recall a mix of David Byron and John Lawton, the first two Heep vocalists. Other references that come to mind are Starcastle (especially in some of the vocal melodies), Deep Purple, Yes, ELP, England, and Gentle Giant. While we have had some great retro prog bands over the years (Anglagard, Anekdoten, Big Elf, and Wobbler instantly come to mind) none sound as firmly entrenched in the 70's, from both a composition and production standpoint, as Black Bonzo does. Opening cuts "Lady of the Light" and "Brave Young Soldier" feature soaring vocal harmonies, raging Hammond, ominous Mellotron, and blistering guitar work, each piece a mini epic on its own. The more hard rock "These Are the Days of Sorrow" sees Karlsson throwing in plenty of searing guitar licks into the mix, and the bouyant "New Day" could have been a leftover from Heep's Magician's Birthday or Demons & Wizards albums, complete with some thundering bass from Leandersson and a 'heaping' amount of beefy Hammond from Ahlund.
After a brief 'intermission' (which is basically Karlsson laying down some mellow, effects laden guitar parts for a minute or so at the end of "New Day") the band lurches back into the second half of the CD with "Fantasy World", a pounding mix of Uriah Heep heaviness and Beatles pop flavor, the latter right down to the charming use of Mellotron flutes ala "Strawberry Fields". Hints of the Beatles, as well as The Moody Blues and Barclay James Harvest, pop up on the engaging piano driven ballad "Freedom", and the Mellotron soaked "Sirens" is just a dramatic slice of prog rock heaven that brings to mind early King Crimson, the Moody Blues, and Cathedral, but with Uriah Heep styled vocal harmonies. "Jail Bait" is a heavy rocker with bombastic guitar and organ riffs, a sort of first cousin to the Heep classic "Easy Livin' ", and the guitar & Mellotron driven "Leave Your Burdens" is a moody, reflective rocker that contains a nice solo from Karlsson plus a great, emotional vocal from Lindgren. The CD closes with another mini epic, the near 8-minute "Where the River Meets the Sea". With haunting backing vocals, huge Mellotron sounds, synths, and lilting guitar chords, this one's a brooding number that at times recalls very early Gentle Giant, but certainly Uriah Heep as well.
Go ahead, say it...doesn't sound like much originality going on here, right? Well, that is perhaps true, but who cares. This is expertly crafted 70's styled music here, that sounds so much like it was written and recorded in that time period it's scary. Plus, if you love any of the bands I've referenced above, it will be hard not to be gravitated towards this album and fall deeply in love with it. Then, you'll be sure to run right out and get their brand new release, Sound of the Apocalypse.
Enjoy this slice of retro folks, then come back for seconds, and thirds, and....well, you get the picture.
Track Listing
1. Lady of the Light
2. Brave Young Soldier
3. These are Days of Sorrow
4. New Day
Intermission
5. Fantasy World
6. Freedom
7. Sirens
8. Jailbait
9. Leave your Burdens
10. Where the River Meets the Sea
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