Influential Swedish metal band Lion's Share has resurfaced after a 17-year hiatus, during which time they released singles and worked on material that would eventually make up their latest album, Inferno.
Formed in 1987 by guitarist Lars Chriss and keyboardist Kay Backlund, the group made their mark with their self-titled debut album in 1995, followed by five more studio albums before their initial hiatus.
After releasing a re-recording of their original hit "Sins Of A Father" in 2018 without fanfare, Lion's Share quietly continued to work on new material.
However, it wasn't until this year that Chriss and vocalist Nils Patrik Johansson decided to unveil the full-length album Inferno to their fans.
In a recent interview with BraveWords, Chriss discussed the band's decision to release Inferno after 17 years, citing fan pressure and the changing landscape of the music industry.
He stated, "We felt the pressure from the fans.
I really enjoyed putting out singles, or the demos, or works in progress – over the years, but every time we did the fans reacted saying 'Stop with the singles, give us an album.' So, we felt the pressure." Chriss also shared his thoughts on how the band went about choosing songs for Inferno, stating, "We wanted to make a great album.
We're old school, obviously, so we grew up with 40-minute vinyl albums.
We wanted to make an album that you play from start to finish, so we wanted every song to bring something new to the table." The band's latest release has been met with positive fan reactions and reviews from metal media outlets.
Chriss reflected on this enthusiasm, saying, "We've had very positive reactions, both from the fans and the media, so we've had good coverage from the big magazines and all that stuff.
People seem to be really excited and love the new album; we've gotten great reviews." When asked about his plans for Lion's Share moving forward, Chriss mentioned that the band has several live shows booked, including appearances at Sweden Rock Festival and other dates throughout Europe.
However, he also hinted at future studio work, stating, "We hope to have a new album out in the autumn of 2027.