Simon RushworthGuardian Of Lightning – Cosmos Tree (Eclipse)
How to reinvent heavy metal?
Well, Brazil’s Guardian Of Lightning are giving it a good old go.
Cosmos Tree showcases the power trio’s very own brand of ‘thunder metal’.
Thunder and Lightning? That’s the plan.
The Motörhead-meets-Saxon of Raise Your Sword is a sound place to start.
Thunder metal is built around a heavy as fuck bass guitar replacing the traditional lead guitar.
It makes for a relentless assault on the senses that sits somewhere between NWOBHM, Clutch and Graveyard.
And Raise Your Sword points the way.
Sonically, Guardian Of Lightning are a little different.
There’s much to admire about frontman Iron King’s commitment to the cause.
And tracks like Sound Of Thunder and Another Place chime with metal’s glorious past.
But Cosmos Tree is a mixed debut.
There are times when this album’s as bland as it is brutal.
Iron King frequently struggles to cling to his Lemmy-shaped throne.
And his time as ruler of all things thunder metal will be relatively short-lived unless the bass player/vocalist can fuse consistency with raw potential.
Metal allows for plenty of wriggle room when it comes to cliché-laden lyrics and 70s-styled power chords.
Always has done. Always will.
But there’s a fine line between authenticity and naivety.
And Guardian Of Lightning need more than an up-front bass to blast their way into contention.
Cosmos Tree could be a grower.
Its heavy metal roots hint at better to come.
But this is a band that needs to branch out – and fast.
