* En anglais uniquement
Sundsvall, Sweden's
Lion's Share have spent the better part of three decades in the service of traditional heavy metal. Though never quite as well-known as power metal-favoring compatriots such as
Hammerfall,
Dream Evil,
Sabaton, and
Evergrey,
Lion's Share can at least claim to predate them all -- having first recorded a single called "Ghost Town Queen" as far back as 1988. But it wasn't until 1995 that vocalist Andy Engberg, guitarist Lars Criss, keyboardist Kay Backlund, bassist Andy Loos (soon to be replaced by Pontus Egberg), and drummer Johan Koleberg had their proper coming-out party via an eponymous, self-financed debut album that impressed Century Media enough to sign the group. Unfortunately, that relationship lasted only long enough to see the release of 1997's simply named Two, after which
Lion's Share moved to
Massacre Records for 1999's Fall from Grace and 2001's Entrance, the last of which introduced new vocalist Tony Niva and keyboardist
Mats Olausson. Throughout these years, the band also toured Europe with major names like
Saxon,
Manowar,
Nevermore, and
Iced Earth. A long hiatus silenced the band until 2007 and the AFM Records-released
Emotional Coma LP, featuring vocalist
Nils Patrik Johansson (of
Astral Doors), bassist Sampo Axelsson, and drummer Rickard Evansand (also of
Therion,
Demonoid,
Ebony Tears, and others). Still faithful to the band's long-established sonic blueprint, this in turn led to renewed touring commitments highlighted by an appearance at
Manowar's Magic Circle Festival (and inclusion in the resulting DVD), and then another new album --
Lion's Share's sixth -- entitled
Dark Hours, released in 2009 through Blistering Records. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia