LILLIAN AXE – From Womb To Tomb

Shapeshifters

Lillian Axe is one of these bands surviving through the decades. They started out in the ’80s and have continued releasing albums since. Throughout the years, they have shed their musical skins and evolved from a Glam inspired Hard Rock to a Progressive and Melodic Heavy Metal. There is a whole world between their classic hit “All’s Fair in Love And War” and their new single “I am beyond”. With this new album From Womb To Tomb, you will embark on a quest to re-discover the sound of Lillian Axe.

Burying the axe?

From Womb To Tomb was first an idea that had been ripening in Steve Blaze’s head for quite some time. And it is a rather ambitious idea. To quote the man himself: “This album is a different type of concept record, whereas it does not contain a story-based theme. Rather, it is a timeline from the birth of a child to the ascension of the soul, with each song emphasizing a specific time of one’s life and the lessons learned therein.” Thus the emotional, spiritual, and perhaps even initiatory dimensions of the music should be considered when listening to the album.

Right from the start, you will notice the approach is definitively more contemplative and progressive than their earliest albums but you can still hear the affiliation between this album and songs such as “The Great Divide” or “Death Comes Tomorrow”.

“Breathe” the opening title, confirms this operatic and dramatic ambition. However, heavier riffs still have their place on this album with “I am Beyond” or “The Golden Dragon”. There are also a very good number of sharp soli that elevate the whole album like “The Fall of The Human Condition” or “Dance Of The Maggots”. Despite these examples, after listening to the whole album the first few times, you would retain a sense of melody, melancholy, and mellowness. To find the heavier and most interesting elements you would have to give it more time.

It is perhaps difficult at first to make sense of all the influences and orchestrations used on the album. The piano plays an important part as well as classical instruments and acoustic parts. Once again, “Dance Of The Maggots” illustrates this: it starts with a choir and symphonic elements before, then spins into a contemplative, prog and melodic tune before the vocals turn aggressive and the melody almost delirious with catchy hints. This song is perhaps the strongest on the album. It is also a turning point. While the first half of the album is pleasant enough, “Dance of the maggots” and the following songs are more inspired. Perhaps it is in keeping with the concept of the album. It finally reaches an age of maturity and wisdom.

Final words

From Womb to Tomb is not a perfect album. It has many flaws: too atmospheric and contemplative, overly dramatic. But these flaws are the counterpart of its ambitious concept. Life isn’t flawless either. And amidst the complexity of this composition, there are many brilliant moments and ideas, that will make this album stand out from the rest of Lillian Axe’s discography.

best tracks: ” Dance Of The Maggots”, “The Fall of The Human Condition”, and “The Golden Dragon”.

Lineup – Lillian Axe

Brent Graham – Lead vocals
Steve Blaze – Lead guitar, Backing vocals, Keyboards
Michael “Max” Darby – Bass guitar
Sam Poitevent – Guitar, Vocals
Wayne Stokely – Drums

Tracklist – From Womb To Tomb

1. Breathe
2. I Am Beyond
3. Neverending Me (Dempsey’s Kick)
4. A
5. The Golden Dragon
6. Piercing The Veil
7. Migrating North
8. No Problem
9. Dance Of The Maggots
10. Fall Of The Human Condition
11. The Great Deception
12. Endless Green Fields
13. Feelings Of Absinthe
14. Finally, Clarity
15. From The Mountaintops
16. Ascension