LANA LANE – Lady Macbeth

With a renowned sense of melody, Lana Lane has always captivated Symphonic Metal audiences since her advent to the scene ten years ago. With lush melodies set to a Power Rock ensemble, Lady Macbeth is sure to become a cornerstone in the Lane legacy. Working with producer/keyboardist, not to mention husband, Erik Norlander, Lana has maintained her recipe of success.

The title Lady Macbeth refers to the sinister villainess of the Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth. Written as a concept album, the theme delves into the dilemmas of the infamous work by looking at it from Lady Macbeth’s point of view, being sympathetic, if not understanding, of the dark-hearted Lady. A longtime fan of the English playwright, this album seems an obvious step for Lana; and in focusing on the Lady Macbeth character, Lana brings the character to life.

Norlander spearheaded the recording for this album by gathering a host of the usual suspects for a European session. Utilizing Peer Verschuren on guitar, Ernest Van Ee on the drum, and newcomer to the Lana Lane camp Kristoffer Gildenlow (Pain of Salvation) on bass, the foundations for the album were laid. Returning to California and enlisting Mark McCrite, Neil Citron, Dan Schiff and Kelly Keeling to help, he was able to complete the recordings and create his massive bigger-than-life sound. The result is a solid, multi-layered union of sound that is the mainstay of the Symphonic scene. There isn’t much in the way of Progressive Rock on this disc; the songs are straightforward and simplistic. Of course, on top of the heavy guitars and thunderous drums is the velveteen voice of the songstress, Lana Lane herself. An amazingly strong and gifted singer, Lana fills the air about you when she sings, much in the way does one of her idols Anne Wilson. Lane sounds every bit as strong in higher registers as she does low, seeming to transition between notes like a hot spoon through ice cream.

Lana and Erik must have raided the melody chest this time out, as every song is easy to sing along with the first time, and the disc feels as comfortable as well worn sneakers. This leads to one of the few problems with Lady Macbeth: the disc feels a little too familiar. You may constantly find yourself trying to remember where you’ve heard this song before … there just doesn’t seem to be any fresh material here.

For Lana Lane fans, Lady Macbeth is sure to be a big hit, and with Symphonic fans the album will do well … and it should; because it is a really good album … but for those of you adding to your collections with a bit more scrutiny and tentativeness, check out some of these tracks and see if it has what tickles your fancy. On the other hand, if you’re looking for some quality rock in the Symphonic vein with extraordinary vocals, this one is sure to deliver. If you’re looking for the next big thing, that oh-so-something-new, you may want to keep looking. Lana Lane can be secure in knowing she consistently offers quality merchandise, and not all can be innovators at every turn.