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November 2024

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August 2024

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Liberty N Justice: The Vow

Melodic Hard Rock/Metal

5.0/5.0

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LNJ Records
Words: Craig Hartranft    Added: 30.07.2014

It appears that some good things do come to end. After better than 20 years, numerous recordings, and participation of guest players from a who's who list of the best melodic hard rock bands, founder and bass player Justin Murr has pulled the plug on Liberty N Justice. But the band and guest vocalists, including Gunnar Nelson, Kelly Keeling, and Richard Kendrick, and the late great Fergie Fredrickson, are going out in grand style with The Vow.

LnJ has always been a (Christian) faith based venture underneath and within all the great hard rock. So The Vow is a concept album exploring a love relationship won, troubled and lost, and then restored, with references to faith, grace and redemption, mostly notably in the song Two Or More (Are Gathered). The concept is developed in the context of some of LnJ's heaviest melodic hard rock; there's more than a little metal edge to the songs. But there's always lots of groove, large vocal harmonies, huge hooks in lyrics and arrangements, and plenty of ripping guitar solos. In the midst of some of the hardest numbers like That's Gonna Leave a Mark, Every Night She Cries, or Sting of Her Kiss, LnJ can show a bit of softer side. A soul searching anthem comes with Promises To God, featuring Fredrickson; another one of hope and promise, love regained, with Prince Charming in Disguise, featuring Nelson; and, the moving ballad of faith and hope Two Or More, where the lyrics combined with acoustic guitar and vocal harmony twist the arrangement to a praise song. It may be one of the best songs Murr and company have ever written. The Vow is solid and entertaining stuff: classic melodic hard rock and pure Liberty N Justice. Quite recommended.

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The Vow is solid and entertaining stuff: classic melodic hard rock and pure Liberty N Justice. Quite recommended.

Alphabetical Index

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]