Lion's Share Dark Hours Reissue Review
Lion’s Share
Dark Hours Reissue
Metalville
2026
Following the success of the wildly popular and absolutely killer “Inferno” from Traditional Metal titans Lion’s Share earlier this year, Metalville has finally granted the wish of many of the band’s fans and pressed their previous effort, “Dark Hours,” to vinyl. According to the press sheet, the album was nominated for Album of the Year by the Swedish Metal Awards when it was originally released 17 years ago. That alone tells you this isn't some forgotten throwaway being dragged out of a warehouse.
Now, I’m not going to lie right after I reviewed “Inferno” earlier this year, I hit YouTube and soaked up every Lion’s Share album I could find. I couldn’t help myself. When a band hits that spot in my Heavy Metal brain, I must go digging.
Lion’s Share operates firmly in the Traditional Heavy Metal territory of Dio, Savatage and bands of that ilk. That’s my neighborhood. I’m a Rock Warrior, and when that feeling hits, I’m not going to fight it.
“Dark Hours” was the first album I dug into, and what really surprised me was how much it felt like a prelude to “Inferno.” There are 17 years separating these two albums, yet the musical DNA is unmistakable. I couldn't quite believe it at first, but after spending more time with the record, the connection became impossible to ignore.
Since first discovering it a few months ago, I’ve gone back to the YouTube clips more than once and had already put the CD on my bottomless want list. So, you can imagine my excitement when I found out Metalville was finally giving “Dark Hours” the vinyl treatment. No need for the CD now.
For those who aren't familiar with either the album or the band, this is legitimate Heavy Metal with its roots firmly planted in the heroes of the '80s. And I don't mean the watered-down, overly polished cheese that sometimes gets lumped into that era. I'm talking about soaring vocals, screaming guitars and riffs that could damn near block out the night sky.
The vocal work and guitar playing immediately pull the album into focus. There are a few lighter moments here than we heard on “Inferno,” but don't let that fool you, this is still a Metalhead's wet dream. The melodies occasionally have Pop feel to them, but they fit naturally into the songs and never feel forced. The arrangements and production help those melodies stand out without taking away from the muscle underneath.
And that's something I appreciate about Lion’s Share. They understand that melody doesn't mean weakness. A great Metal song can have a hook you remember while still kicking you square in the teeth.
I don't see anything in the press information indicating that “Dark Hours” has been remastered for this reissue, so I'm not going to pretend otherwise. What I can tell you is that the prospect of adding another piece of Lion’s Share's history to my vinyl collection makes me damn happy. This one will sit nicely alongside “Inferno,” and I already know I'll be pulling it off the shelf regularly.
If you're unfamiliar with Lion’s Share, now is a pretty good time to correct that. Start digging into their catalog, and if “Dark Hours” hits you the way it hit me, I'd grab the vinyl while you can. I don't know how large this pressing is, but I wouldn't expect it to hang around forever.
Standouts – “Phantom Rider”, “Full Metal Jacket”, “Napalm Nights” and “Behind The Curtain”.