Thursday, September 13: Lords of Black, “Long Way to Go”
Ritchie Blackmore did more than just give Ronnie Romero a major platform when he recruited the singer to front the guitarist’s latest iteration of Rainbow; Blackmore’s claims that Romero sounded like a mix of Ronnie James Dio and Freddie Mercury ensured that anything and everything else the Spanish vocalist recorded would be taken seriously. Because of that, Lords of Black’s third record was given a great deal more consideration than would be expected from a Frontiers release produced by Roland Grapow. But as evidenced by tracks like “Long Way to Go”, Blackmore’s assessment of Romero’s abilities wasn’t off the mark: the Mercury influence wasn’t so easy to spot, but his snarl definitely recalled prime Dio. Meanwhile, Tony Hernando’s driving riffs were both smooth and metallic, full of power while also delivering a strong melodic foundation over which Romero soared. Icons of the New Days was ultimately more or less a standard-issue Frontiers product, but “Long Way to Go” showcased Ronnie Romero’s substantial talents in memorable fashion.
