Spanish metal giants Lords of Black returned last month with their latest album Alchemy of Souls Part 1, a journey into the mind and musical psyche of guitarist Tony Hernando and vocalist Ronnie Romero.
It is an album that nearly didn’t happen with this line-up after Romero left the band last year only to be coaxed back by the quality of the music coming from Hernando.
Hernando sat down with HEAVY during the week to discuss the album and its process, starting with what, if any, goals he had going into Alchemy of Souls Part 1.
"Not really goals,” he measured. “Every time we start writing and producing an album we just go straight to get the best music and lyrics we can at that particular time. Maybe you try to represent a particular time of your life and portray that the best you can but on this occasion, as you can imagine, the whole album and the lyrics and the whole theme has been very much affected for the global situation. The songs were written last year and the album completed in 2020 but all the music and lyrics were finished last year. Obviously, I didn't know something like this pandemic was going to hit the world, but I had a strange feeling that something was going on, that the global politics and everything were really... on a very strange path to a disaster. Even when I was writing these songs and lyrics portraying a very dark world I was doing it in a positive way like I always try to do. I try to say that eventually the goodwill defeat evil and the light will take over darkness, so even... the whole album is heavy and dark in some of the lyrics but it’s always in a very positive way if you know what I mean. I don't want to be adding more dark and depression to the current situation that is very hard for all of us. I was trying to make a positive way and give the listeners a nice journey through the music and lyrics.”
In the full interview, Tony talks more about the album and the songs on it, the band's early vision to blend modern metal with melodic and progressive elements, how he lured Romero back to the fold, the likelihood of Alchemy of Souls Part 2 and more.