by Alexandra Mrozowska
— Senior Columnist —
A lot of album reviewers are guilty of focusing only on the musical side of things, providing picturesque descriptions of soaring melodies, thunderous drum intros and wailing guitar solos. More often than not, the real essence of an album lies elsewhere but it’s often missed. Lords of Black are one of these bands that you can’t think of in terms “just about any lyrics that fit the melody”, and their newly released album Alchemy Of Souls Part I only confirms that. As the band’s co-founder, lead guitarist, songwriter and producer Tony Hernando declares, the songs on this album are “about good and light defeating the evil and darkness” and about struggles every individual knows from their life. Tony’s songwriting inspirations and the message behind the new material were, however, just two of many topics in our conversation, alongside the recent twists and turns in the Lords of Black line-up, the joys of branching out with other projects and more…
Hardrock Haven: With the new Lords of Black album’s title being Alchemy Of Souls Part I, the first question can’t be anything but this – is there going to be a Part II, a continuation of it musically and lyrically? Is this album a part of the larger concept?
Tony Hernando: Well, yes – there’s gonna be a second part. Actually, we’re almost at the point of recording the second part, because with no touring at the moment we have decided to speed up the process of writing and recording the new songs. You can expect the release of Part II later in 2021. And as far as we talk the concept and the theme, Alchemy Of Souls is not a conceptual album as such, but the general theme of the storyline of many songs on the album is very much about the current world situation and about the war that is going on right now in the whole world. Not only because of the pandemic, but also because of the powers and the masters fighting behind the scenes. It’s a very strong concept throughout most of the songs, discussing this and also the struggle and the war that we all have inside as individual human beings. Because all of us have a struggle – a war – inside of us, good and evil fighting for all our lives. It’s like we’re descendants of Cain from the Bible. We all have that dilemma in our lives, in our souls – all the time. And a lot of songs on Alchemy Of Souls are about that dilemma.
Hardrock Haven: So is it more like the lyrics on the new album – pretty dark at times – were inspired by your observing what’s going on in the world, the current events, the news etc. or your personal feelings and emotions?
Tony Hernando: It’s from my personal point of view and interpretation of the things that are going on, also because I’m very much into psychology and philosophy. I love to talk about human themes. And you say the lyrics on the album are dark, but if you take a look at them again – even though I portray dark places and a dark war, it’s never from a negative point. On the contrary, it’s about good and light defeating evil and darkness, and it’s about how people – we as individuals – how we can get back the power and freedom that’s been taken away from us in so many forms today. So actually even though the situation is really bad and the whole world is upside down and everything seems to be very dark, I’m portraying that war that we have to fight for the right reasons, and it’s a positive and uplifting message all the way through the songs. I’m not interested in making dark music with really dark lyrics with no positive message and no way out, absolutely not. Lords of Black from the beginning is about good and light defeating the evil and darkness.
Hardrock Haven: So the general message is there’s still hope for the human kind.
Tony Hernando: Yeah, absolutely. If you take a look at the songs like “Dying To Live Again” or “Into The Black”, you can see that we’re trying to make a call to arms, a call to revolution for the right things. It’s time to stand our ground and see what’s going on – it’s not only the pandemic that is at stake right now, it’s much more. The whole world is at war and especially against Western and European values and all values of our civilization are at risk right now ‘cause many, many forces behind the scenes are trying to take us and lead us to war. I think it’s time to wake up and time to fight for the right things.
Hardrock Haven: Do you think people are able to hear this call to arms and understand it, especially the younger generation practically born and raised in the era of social media vanity and omnipresent technology?
Tony Hernando: That’s a very good question. At least we know that we have the best fans in the world and they’re so intelligent that I’m sure they will understand the message. But at the same time, I’m not preaching anyone because Lords of Black will never be a political band whatsoever. I’m just talking more in a psychological and philosophical point of view as a human being. It’s like I always admire the Humanists as philosophers who always try to tell people about the good things that we as human beings and society in general can do. But with the young kids and the young generation right now, born and raised in this Internet era, it’s very difficult. The whole thing with the Internet and the excess of technology and everything is definitely one of the reasons that the dehumanization is going so fast. I’m just hoping for a good outcome and I’m a firm believer that in the end, the good will win. That’s just my desire.
Hardrock Haven: Let’s hope so. So, as you produced Alchemy Of Souls entirely on your own, what do you think are the pros and cons of self-production?
Tony Hernando: I feel very confident and experienced enough to produce an album of this stature and with such incredible musicians like Ronnie [Romero, vocals], Jo [Nunez, drums] and Dani [Daniel Criado, bass] it’s very easy to get to a good point with the quality of the songs and sound. I’m still having Roland Grapow by my side as co-producer and mixing engineer – he’s one of my best friends in business and I have total trust in him in the sonic department. I’m confident about my being a songwriter and a driving force behind this band, I have the best band – the best musicians – with me, and we have Roland working on the sonic aspects, so it’s easier for me than you might think.
Hardrock Haven: Speaking of Roland Grapow, did you renew this collaboration with him again because of the friendship that you’ve just talked about, or because of his skills?
Tony Hernando: The combination of both, because music is very particular and very personal – so I always try to work on music with people that I value and admire not only as professionals and musicians, but also as people. That way the music will tell much more ‘cause it’s done for the right reasons with the musicianship and the heart, not for money or the business. Roland has been one of my best friends in the business for so many years and we have been working together on Lords of Black albums from the very beginning, with him being the co-producer and the mixing engineer. He’s someone I trust and I respect very much, and also one of my earliest influences as a guitarist and a songwriter. It’s a great relationship and I don’t want to change it ‘cause it’s really working not only on the professional level, but also really nicely on a personal level.
Hardrock Haven: Speaking of Lords of Black on a personal level, the Alchemy Of Souls’ liner notes give a sneak peek into the turmoil behind the album in terms of line-up. We all remember the moment when Ronnie announced his departure from Lords of Black, so what’s made him return to the band?
Tony Hernando: I guess in the end it’s just destiny that makes people come together or go separate ways. I can’t speak for Ronnie, but I guess that when things were a bit difficult in the band almost two years ago, he decided it was right for him [to leave], even though that was very hurtful and bad for the band and for me personally. I founded this band with Ronnie, I love his voice and I’m his number one fan. He was my partner and my friend, and it was very difficult in the beginning but I tried to continue anyway. It’s funny how life makes these turning points and all I know is that all of a sudden we got together. And it was very easy, because we realized that the most important thing is the music that we make together, that we have a chemistry that is undeniable and the music and the fans make everything worth it. So it was easier than you might think and I’m so glad that this was the final outcome, ‘cause it was a very difficult year for me last year, when I was trying to complete the album without him. But it’s all well that ends well, and I’m fine with it and the fans are very happy because of his comeback, so it’s all positive.
Hardrock Haven: When starting to work on the new material, were you aware of Ronnie’s decision of departure from the band?
Tony Hernando: No, it was later. His decision was a surprise for me. I was already starting to write for the new album – that was generally 2019 – when he announced that he’s leaving the band on his social media. I didn’t know about that, so it was a surprise. I was trying to say that he might have been having his personal reasons that I’d had to understand and respect. In the end, I think the right thing to do is trying to solve the problems and sticking together. But it’s fine, because in the end it’s like we have been separated for one year and a half going into different projects, and I think I’ve improved myself as a producer and a musician because I did the Restless Spirits’ album, and that was a beautiful and cathartic experience for me. And also Ronnie himself has been doing a lot of great things by himself with a lot of great artists. So in the end, I got the benefit of Ronnie coming back with much more experience and even better voice and everything… so now he brings to the table even more than before. In the end, I’m happy how the things turned out.
Hardrock Haven: Still, the album was initially demoed with the other singer – Diego Valdez (ex-Helker, Dream Child). So what do you think was the reason why Ronnie’s voice and manner fit these new songs so well – is it his flexibility as a singer, or the chemistry between you two?
Tony Hernando: Well, when it comes to Lords of Black, I honestly think that it’s about the chemistry that we both have together. We made this band out of nothing, from scratch, with nothing in mind but pleasing ourselves. So, from the beginning, we always make the music that we love the most in a very personal way. So it’s about chemistry, but he’s a very versatile singer of course, doing a lot of projects with many people, and obviously he’s gonna sound great in everything that he’s involved in. He’s got an incredible voice, no matter who he is singing for. But in my opinion, in Lords of Black he sounds his best and he’s the best version of himself. Also because there’s no one else to compare him to – ‘cause he doesn’t sing any covers or trying to sing like Ronnie James Dio or anyone else. With Lords of Black, I compose and I write the song for him, with his voice in my mind anyway. So it’s very natural and clear – and very real – that Ronnie and I make a great team and Lords of Black is very much a Ronnie-and-Tony-together kind of thing.
Hardrock Haven: Alchemy Of Souls is also the first Lords of Black album to feature the new drummer you’ve already mentioned, Jo Nunez. What did he bring into the band?
Tony Hernando: Jo brings a different approach to drumming. He’s very technical and very powerful and when Dani and I were auditioning drummers, with him we noticed right away that he brought the songs to a different level. He uplifted the songs in a way that makes also both Dani and me play even better. He not only a good musician, but also a very nice, respectful and easy-going guy. He’s very professional and it’s wonderful to work with him.
Hardrock Haven: You’ve already talked about the struggle to complete the album without Ronnie on board last year. We’ve already mentioned Diego Valdez, who demoed the vocals for the new album. Another singer who appeared with Lords of Black during your last year’s performance at Leyendas Del Rock festival was Dino Jelusick (Animal Drive, Dirty Shirley, Trans-Siberian Orchestra etc.). Was Dino also considered for Ronnie’s permanent replacement during that time, or was it only a friendly favor that he performed that night?
Tony Hernando: When he performed with a band, he did it just as a friend that was helping me out so that I wouldn’t have to cancel the show. Right before it I knew that Diego and I weren’t going to continue working together, but at least I wanted to have the opportunity of saying goodbye to the fans, if you know what I mean… by bringing someone like Dino and taking the flame from there. For a certain period of time, I was obviously considering having Dino in the band. He’s a great singer – one of my favorite singers. He’s just phenomenal, an amazing guy as well, and we got along very well. A lovely person and a hell of a singer. So he was obviously strongly considered for becoming a potential permanent singer. But he wanted to be honest and he didn’t want to commit to the band knowing that he has not only his own band – Animal Drive – but many other projects going on. So in the end, he was very sorry that he couldn’t commit to become the Lords of Black singer permanently, like I needed. Because if I asked him, “Can you just record an album, as a one-off project?”, he would do it. But I didn’t want an album with a session singer, so to speak, and going after that with another singer. I didn’t want to go that way. So in the end I had to go again and look for a new singer. Months were passing – at least Roland Grapow and I were mixing the album instrumentally, so that way we weren’t wasting time. And almost at the end, when I was almost sure about having the right guy for singing on the album, all of a sudden the pandemic hit in the world. All of a sudden we were in lockdown, and Ronnie and I got on the phone talking as friends, about the situation and the whole thing. One thing led to another, and all I know is that we started talking about working together and resurrecting Lords of Black with him. So everything was cool.
Hardrock Haven: You worked with both Dino and Diego for your Restless Spirits project, alongside other great singers like Johnny Gioeli (Hardline) or Alessandro Del Vecchio (Edge Of Forever, Hardline, JORN). Are there any plans to continue this project?
Tony Hernando: Yeah, actually we have been talking about this, but it’s a matter of time and availability of the musicians. I would love to make a second Restless Spirits album, but I need to know that some of the singers – at least three of them – will take part in that continuation. Because if not, it wouldn’t be cohesive and coherent. So if there’s no way to get these singers on board again, maybe I will consider a different project for now. But if Restless Spirits come back again with the second album, I would like to count on three or four of the guys that were already on the first album.
Hardrock Haven: A good journalist has to ask you which singers you had in mind…
Tony Hernando: I can’t tell because if I did, some of the other guys could interpret it like I didn’t like their performance [on the first album] (laughs) and that’s not the case. All of them did a terrific job and they’re all incredible singers and musicians. But I’m trying to say that in my heart, the spirit and the core and the meaning of Restless Spirits resides in some of the musicians more than others. The other guys just approached it in a different way, but all of them were unbelievable as musicians.
Hardrock Haven: Absolutely. At the beginning of our interview you’ve also mentioned that working on the Restless Spirits album was a cathartic experience for you. Why was it so special?
Tony Hernando: The whole thing with how Ronnie left the band everything was very hard on me. For me, Lords of Black is something more than just a band, something really special. And it’s like that from the very beginning, not only for me, but for Ronnie as well – the way everything developed through the years… So, all of a sudden all I knew is that I didn’t have my partner and my favorite singer beside me for continuing with Lords of Black, and I felt a bit lost for a moment. But at the same time, I wanted to prove myself something and try myself in a different situation with different musicians and different singers. I wanted to realize I was still me, I was still Tony Hernando who, with Lords of Black or without it, is more than able to do fine music with other great musicians. I wanted to prove myself that Lords of Black was not the end of the world for me. So it was very cathartic knowing that I was doing that great music with Restless Spirits and enjoying the process so much – because everything was very positive and not toxic at all. It was working with people who were not only really professional, but also much into the music. You can tell with the result of the album and the uplifting message behind the song that it’s all very positive and empowering record all the way through. So I was very happy when the whole album was finished and I just realized that I was worth it, doing what I do best – writing music and playing the guitar, with or without Lords of Black. So that was very cathartic.
Hardrock Haven: In comparison to Lords of Black, Restless Spirits is less Metal and more Melodic Hard Rock. Was this stylistic change planned, so as to re-define yourself as a songwriter?
Tony Hernando: Not really. I knew that if I was going to do a side project, it has to be different from Lords of Black of course – if not, it doesn’t make any sense. When I’m going to do another project here and there, it has to be different from Lords of Black. So having said that, I grew up listening to all kinds of music – not only as a fan, but also as a student of music, all my life. And as a professional musician, I’m able to play and write in many different styles of music, and I love many different styles too. So it was great for me to prove myself in a much more AOR/Hard Rock, American kind of sound than Lords of Black that is more Metal, more proggy and there’s more European feel to it. Also I have instrumental records that are more in vein of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen etc., so I know how to write and play in many different styles of music and Restless Spirits was just a nice, different thing to do when Lords of Black stayed in the shadow for a while.
Hardrock Haven: Are there any other projects that you’ve been into recently?
Tony Hernando: Yeah, actually I should’ve mentioned that alongside the Restless Spirits project of 2019, I was writing and recording with Ray Alder, the singer of Fates Warning. That was also a really great experience and meant for me as much as the Restless Spirits in professional and personal terms. Also one of my highlights, especially that I grew up being a huge Fates Warning fan. I hope we can get back together and work on another Ray Alder solo album very soon because it was a great experience and I would jump into that possibility right away.
Hardrock Haven: In the liner notes of the new Lords of Black album, you express hope that we’ll find at least some positivity in the period of lockdown and isolation. Can you think of any positive impact such hardships could have on modern society?
Tony Hernando: Yeah, but that depends much on everyone of us individually. It’s just a matter of your point of view. If you decide to look at the world in a positive or a negative way, that’s a personal and very subjective approach. So I think if we all make an effort of trying to look at the world in a much more positive way… Think about the human kind having been on this Earth for so many years and being able to make the greatest and most beautiful things as well as the worst and the most horrible things at the same time. So if we have that capacity of doing good and evil, it’s obvious that we can accomplish much more doing something good. But it starts in everyone of us. Freedom and power has been taken away from people in many ways in the last decades. You can see many totalitarian regimes and all this bullshit with the globalism, this intention of fighting and erasing all the Western and Christian values – that’s very, very wrong. We as a society and human beings achieved a lot doing the right things and we can do it again and resurrect and make ourselves better… great again. I think the outcome will be good in the end.
Hardrock Haven: We can’t talk about the future without being aware of the past. So before we wrap it up with the question about Alchemy Of Souls Part II which is basically next in line to be released, let’s take a retrospective look at the previous Lords of Black album – 2018’s Icons Of The New Days… Who or what are the eponymous “icons of the new days”?
Tony Hernando: Icons Of The New Days has a little bit of connection with Alchemy Of Souls. But let’s say that Icons Of The New Days is much darker an album, whereas here with Alchemy Of Souls it’s like I’m trying to describe and define a victory sign over the evil. The “icons of the new days” are all powers that dehumanize us. It can be technology, the Internet, war, the politics… all those politicians that are leading us to totalitarian regimes… everything that is leading to our dehumanization and slavery and to the lack of freedom in our societies today. Back in the day when I was growing up, when I was a kid, I had the feeling that I had much more freedom, much more positive things to look up to and better examples in society – in the movies, in music, in sports… And all of a sudden kids today are praising people that are really disgusting and have no values. It’s really horrible. It’s like if we’re losing the right values that we once had as society – and especially it’s evident in Europe that during the last years we have been heading in a very decadent direction in terms of what we consider valuable, good and uplifting. So that’s why Icons Of The New Days is much darker and sadder portrait of the world. But in Lords of Black from the very beginning and the very first time I’m always trying to portray a force that fights against the dark. So in the end I’m always positive and I always believe that the light will defeat darkness.
Hardrock Haven: So if Icons Of The New World was the portrayal of all the evil in the world and Alchemy Of Souls Part I is a call to arms and a possible victory, what can we expect the theme of Alchemy Of Souls Part II to be?
Tony Hernando: I don’t want to say that it’s gonna be the same theme [as on Alchemy Of Souls Part I], ‘cause it’s gonna be portrayed from different perspectives and different angles. So it’s gonna be a little more introspective, if you will, with more individual points of view from the ones that fight for the right side and the villains… So it’ll be interesting. I’m not finished with the lyrics yet, but I’ve finished the music and I have three or four songs written entirely. It’s a little too soon yet to see what the final direction will be and if the light is gonna be victorious in the end or not… But I hope it will be.
Hardrock Haven: Let’s hope so. And with predictably no touring in the next few months, what are your and the band’s future plans?
Tony Hernando: Just composing and writing for the next Lords of Black album and another few projects that are in the wind. That makes me busy enough, so I’m gonna be writing the whole time ‘till I can be out and touring with the band. I hope that happens very soon, but for now all I can do is to be as busy as possible… and also in my spare time I’m trying to read a lot of books with positive and valuable themes, do the best that I can, be responsible myself and wait for this pandemic and this situation to clear out. Hopefully, we will wake in a better world sooner or later.
Hardrock Haven: Definitely. Any last words?
Tony Hernando: Just thank you so much for this interview. And I would like to tell all the fans to remain positive and stay strong, healthy and safe ‘till this thing is gone. Don’t forget to look at things in a positive way, that’s very important. I hope Alchemy Of Souls album is a beautiful way out and something that relieves them in these moments – that’s what I can bring to the table. We as musicians have the responsibility of bringing something positive into people’s lives and I think Alchemy Of Souls is a great album for the fans to enjoy, with an uplifting and positive message behind it.
