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CartSteve Harris "British Lion" Album Review — 5 out of 5 stars
Tue, 02 Oct 2012 08:19:52
Very few guys can do rock 'n' roll right.
Legendary Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris is one of them. As far as songwriters go, he's on the level with Jimmy Page and Tony Iommi, and his new album, British Lion, proves that tenfold. Echoing UFO and The Who with a fresh metallic edge that's characteristically Harris, this Lion roars louder than most. Tracks like "This is my God" storm the castle with the icon's distinctive thunderous bass rumble. Vocalist Richard Taylor sounds utterly pristine crooning over the compact and catchy attack.
"Lost Worlds" thrives on wah-ed out psychedelica and some more inventive, intriguing fretwork from Harris. There's a theatricality to "Karma Killer" that's elegantly potent, while "The Chosen Ones" extends into bombastic '70s terrain with the right amount of instrumental bravado. That's Harris's real magic. He tempers the intricacies with huge hooks—the perfect combination of blissful melody and battering instrumental fireworks.
Record standout "A World Without Heaven" surpasses the seven-minute mark with a heavenly heaviness that only Harris could conjure. The man already reigns supreme and metal, and he will forever—but he's just as much of a rock god.
Run with a real Lion…
Watch the video for This is My God
—Rick Florino
10.2.12
Have you heard British Lion?
