[3/10] Once again House Of Lords makes an attempt at harkening back to yesteryear with its latest, Come To My Kingdom. Ripping off every AOR outfit from Foreigner to Journey in an attempt to garner airplay on radio waves that abandoned such a format during the time in which dinosaurs were predominant, House Of Lords shows absolutely none of the promise that attracted the attention of Gene Simmons, who signed the band to his ill-fated label so many moons ago.

As the title anthem filters through the speakers like a watered-down Dream Theater, focused less on explicit artistic craftsmanship than on sheer grabs at accessibility, one wonders what impulse drives this group to continue making public music that the general base of music listeners simply no longer wishes to hear.

By the time the sugar-coated, pseudo-Whitesnake love plea "I Need To Fly" hits, it's so patently obvious James Christian and his backers believe the cyclical nature of rock music is destined to come around once again to weary, bleeding-heart anthems devoid of personality. Such a return is highly unlikely with rock radio focusing attention on bands like Hinder and Theory Of A Deadman these days. Not to say that those acts are particularly intriguing either, but the simple fact is that the AOR tides have turned to a sound that is more modern and mush less worn.

Consequently,there's little point in delving further into individual tracks. Come To My Kingdom may possibly appeal to about five percent of the Metal Sludge audience and these are followers who are likely not Blistering readers. There's little future in being submerged in yesterday, as House Of Lords so eloquently proves on this lackluster, lifeless effort.

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