Now Hear This: LORD
Pictured: Andy Dowling - LORD
The Top Picks from the LORD of Bass
Written by: Andy Dowling - LORD
“I’ve been the bass player in LORD since late 2005; the band was originally called DUNGEON which formed in 1989 and changed its name to LORD in 2005. The band has toured nationally and internationally over the years releasing a large assortment of LPs, EPs and live albums. In 2015 I launched The Andy Social Podcast, where I speak with not only musicians, but people in the science, sport, entertainment worlds and anyone else who I have found interesting. I’ve recently clocked 250 episodes over a five-year period and the podcast continues to grow.”
“LORD released their latest album Fallen Idols in 2019 which debuted at #2 in the Australian Independent charts and #20 in the ARIA Australian Albums charts. We launched a podcast called Nod to the Old School which promoted the album and celebrated the old school mixtape by speaking with metal/heavy music personalities from bands such as MEGADETH, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, DORO, DEVILSKIN, EXCITER and more.”
STRANGEWAYS – Walk in the Fire (1989)
“I’m a huge AOR/melodic rock fan as you will see from some of these picks, and this STRANGEWAYS album is one of my all-time favs. Unfortunately this album is fairly unknown, even in the melodic rock world. I have been trying to get more and more people over the years to dig into it. Hailing from Scotland, these guys knew how to write a hook and create that late 80s vibe which I absolutely love. Throw this on at sunset and soak up the atmosphere. I often play this when I’m walking through the city in the evenings. Absolutely brilliant.”
IN MALICE’S WAKE – The Blindness of Faith (2020)
“Brand new and a real heavy hitter. I love these guys who are based in Melbourne and this new album is easily their strongest album to date. The guys have been around since 2002 and have built a loyal following in the thrash metal community here in Australia. The Blindness of Faith will surely give them a bigger spotlight internationally and I can only imagine heavy thrash and old school death metal fans overseas saying “why am I only hearing about these guys now?!”. Think MORBID ANGEL, OBITUARY and plenty of classic thrash metal riffs. Heavy, heavy stuff. Also, frontman Shaun Farrugia did the artwork on the latest release. One talented mofo!”
NEVERMORE – This Godless Endeavor (2005)
“Many will say that NEVERMORE’s earlier albums were their classic releases, however for me This Godless Endeavor was where they absolutely peaked. The albums that came after were certainly strong but I don’t think any of it matched the song writing, production and musicianship which was showcased in this album. Whenever someone asks where they should start with NEVERMORE, I always say this album is where to kick it all off and to start at track one. Play the entire thing. Don’t skip and turn it right up. This is total riff city with some of the best drumming on a metal album ever. I really miss these guys!”
HAREM SCAREM – Change the World (2020)
“This is my main contender for album of the year for me. HAREM SCAREM are my all-time favourite rock band and for that reason I am heavily biased. I will say however that their last couple of releases were missing something that Change the World has locked onto. This is a slick, memorable, goosebump-inducing slab of melodic rock greatness. Listen to Aftershock and Swallowed by the Machine to give you a first taste. After you get sucked into this album, go back and listen to Self-Titled, Mood Swings, Higher and Human Nature. Remember, my all-time favourite rock band. Total fan boy here!”
TOEHIDER – I Like It (2020)
“Mike Mills is the undisputed genius in Australian rock music. There are few multi-instrumentalist artists out there who are able to carve out such a career in a purely independent capacity. I Like It simply reinforces Mike’s high skill in quirky song writing, memorable hooks and a candid approach that he and TOEHIDER co-creator Andrew Saltmarsh have built which has rewarded them with one incredibly loyal fanbase who collectively help TOEHIDER continue to succeed. TOEHIDER are a one of those feel-good stories that more people should talk about. Also, check out Mike Mill’s appearances in Arjen Lucassen’s AYREON project. So proud!”
Pictured: Andy Dowling - LORD
Photo by: Rodrigo Simas
Pictured: Andy Dowling, Lord Tim + Mark Furtner - LORD