Move over Andrew Lloyd Webber. There is a new creative force in town in the form of Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande and guitarist extraordinaire Trond Holter. Their latest project “Dracula-Swing of Death” is a project beyond compare. It is a heavy metal and rock and roll based opera and Broadway style musical based on the story of the life of Count Vlad the III, the vampire legend.
With a classic rock influence that is part Alice Cooper, part Queen, and part Ronnie James Dio, Lande takes over the part of Dracula and vocally weaves the tale of Dracula’s inner battles and struggles. The songs, all written and produced by Lande and Holter, tell a story but also stand alone as solid rock tunes. From the opening sounds of a stormy night, the record kicks off with “Hands of Your God” before charging into the melodic metal masterpiece “Walking on Water.” There is a little bit of everything with the swing piano of the epic and grooving “Swing of Death” and the elegant opening of “Masquerade Ball.” As in the story when Dracula finds his love, a female lead in the form of Lena Floitmoen Borresen shares the vocal duties for the second part of the record. Lande’s vocals have never sounded better and Holter’s guitar work is simply epic. There isn’t a weak track on this album as every tune is a powerhouse of a song. I’ll give a special nod to the instrumental shredder “True Love Through Blood” with Holter’s fantastic fretwork.
Hats off to Lande and Holter as “Swing of Death” is a true masterpiece. It is timeless, ageless and beautiful and fills me with hope for the future of music.
