Album cover for Black Star Riders. Photo / Supplied
Following Phil Lynott's death in 1986, three years after quitting the band he founded, Thin Lizzy reformed and since then there has been an occasional, revolving-door membership band touring under that name. BSR includes Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham (from their classic period), post-Lynott members and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso (Megadeth/Alice Cooper).
Originally they were going to release this as Thin Lizzy, which would have been heresy. However, songs here - Bound for Glory and Hey Judas which rewrite the Jailbreak/Johnny the Fox period, Kingdom of the Lost with its Irish romanticism and pipes - will fit neatly when Gorham resurrects Lizzy again because so much (Before the War) could have come from Lynott's notebooks. And singer Ricky Warwick has just enough Lynott in his delivery to pass muster. But this also throws Lizzy into the US metal blender and, with producer Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden, Joe Bonamassa) turning things up to a widescreen 11, this seems aimed at a stadium of Lizzy/Iron Maiden fans.
It's interesting because it owes huge debts to Lizzy's signature dual guitar sound, but borrows so heavily you could hardly accuse BSR of originality. File alongside your Coverdale-Page Led Zepp-not album.
Stars: 3/5
Verdict: It could be Thin Lizzy, but it's not
- TimeOut / elsewhere.co.nz
