SHINING BLACK (Mark Boals) – Shining Black (2020)
SHINING BLACK is a new band featuring vocalist Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ring Of Fire, Royal Hunt) and guitarist Ölaf Thorson (Labyrinth, Vision Divine) which will be releasing their self-titled debut album via Frontiers Music.
“Shining Black” showcases cutting edge ’80s melodic metal / hard rock songwriting techniques from Thorsen combined with the outstanding vocal abilities of Boals.
The roots of this new metal collaboration go back to 2014 when the Italian power/progressive metal band Labyrinth was faced with the dilemma of moving forward without their long-time singer Roberto Tiranti.
They eventually chose to work with Mark Boals and began working on new songs that would have been released on the band’s next album, but his busy schedule did not fit in with the recording plans the group had at the time. After a few years on hiatus, Labyrinth eventually made a new record (‘Architecture of a God’) with Tiranti back on board.
Despite not getting to work together at that time, Boals and Thorsen remained in touch and, when the occasion arose and at the suggestion of Frontiers, the two artists seized the opportunity and the Shining Black project was born.
All songs on the album are fluid, ranging from hard rockers to polished melodic metal.
Opener ‘The House Of The Fallen Souls’ with its great hookline and chorus is a winner. This is classic, meaty hard rock with melody and nerve, nice keys, elaborated mid-section and melodious solo. One of the best songs we’ve heard this year.
Follower “Boogeyman” is even more melodic hard rock oriented, again the clever melodic parts and the really stupendous vocals by Mark Boals are convincing. The man shine at the mic.
And the rest of the album never drops in quality. ‘My Life’ brings to mind Kymera, the killer powerful ballad ‘A Sad Song’ has a little Sandinavian feel to it, title track ‘Shining Black’ punches in the Allen/Lande vein, then ‘Just Another Day’ adds groove to its melodic hard rock skeleton, and the chorus is catchy.
‘Where Are Your Gods’ is fantastic tune, where the main riff, verses, and the keys arrangement recall Ozzy / Jake E. Lee era.
With ‘The Carousel’ the guys provide an accessible melody with a bit of Axel Rudi Pell, on midtempo ‘The Day We Said Goodbye’ even some AOR waves appear, and closer ‘We Fall’ pick up the tempo again for a full rocker plenty of soaring vocals.
I don’t know you, but for us Mark Boals is simply one of the best classic metal shouters out there, on par with Jorn Lande. And Olaf Thorsen is skilled guitar player, rich in the riffs arrangements and tasteful in the solos.
“Shining Black” breathes deeply the ’80s, punchy and bright, wrapped by a huge polished production. It has some edge, but all is so polished (in a good way) that most the time the album is melodic hard rock in essence.
Much more than ‘another studio project assembled by Frontiers, “Shining Black” sounds & feels organic, authentic, and darn melodic n’ catchy.
HIGHLY Recommended
01. The House Of The Fallen Souls
02. The Boogeyman
03. My Life
04. A Sad Song
05. Shining Black
06. Just Another Day
07. Where Are Your Gods
08. The Carousel
09. The Day We Said Goodbye
10. We Fall
Mark Boals – Vocals (Yngwie, Ring Of Fire, Royal Hunt)
Olaf Thorsen – Guitars (Labyrinth, Vision Divine)
Oleg Smirnoff – Keyboards
Nik Mazzucconi – Bass
Matt Peruzzi – Drums
PRE ORDER:
www.amazon.com/Shining-Black-Mark-Boals-Thorsen/dp/B085KBSWCQ
