Black Bonzo — Sound of the Apocalypse
The Laser's Edge
www.lasersedgegroup.com

Rating: B

Nothing warms the soul like a full-bodied Hammond organ.

Hot coffee? Thick chowder? Nah. When it comes to restorative power, the instrument popularized by Jon Lord and championed by '70s music disciples does the trick. And Nicklas Ahlund plays a mighty organ.

As keyboardist with Black Bonzo, Ahlund knows a thing or two about retro fidelity. But rather than dwell in the past, Sound of the Apocalypse excavates vintage sensibility and applies a contemporary spin. From "Thorns Upon A Crown" to "Iscariot," sounds of yesteryear treat classic rockers to tasty tapestries. "Giant Games" boasts modular guitar not unlike Queen's Brian May, with song structures echoing Yes. 

Elsewhere, "Yesterdays Friends" merges early Genesis and Deep Purple with subtle Thin Lizzy nuance (think twin-guitar harmonies). Mellotron fans will relish "The Well's" quieter passages. Silent spaces between guitar layers and Magnus Lindgren's understated vocals allows the classic instrument room to roam.

Listeners craving modern artists moored in Uriah Heep, Queen and Camel, look no further. Black Bonzo is the real stuff. Metal Church main main Kurdt Vanderhoof opened the gates with Presto Ballet, and Black Bonzo's latest outing carries its own new torch.