August 28, marked the long-awaited vinyl release of LION’S SHARE’s classic 2009 album Dark Hours, now available for the first time ever on black vinyl and limited yellow vinyl, with the album also reissued on CD via Metalville.
Order the album:
👉 https://lionsshare.lnk.to/DarkHours_LP_CD
To celebrate the release, LION’S SHARE are also bringing back the official lyric video for “Phantom Rider,” one of the album’s darkest and most distinctive tracks.
“Phantom Rider” is inspired by Charles Manson and the dark events surrounding the Manson Family in Los Angeles in 1969. Manson developed his bizarre “Helter Skelter” prophecy drawing inspiration from THE BEATLES’ song of the same name, and manipulated his followers into committing a series of brutal murders. The song explores the disturbed mindset, fanaticism and manipulation behind one of the most notorious crime stories of the 20th century.
“Phantom Rider” is part of the broader historical and controversial themes explored throughout Dark Hours, an album that takes inspiration from some of the darkest chapters and figures of the late 1960s.
The reissue of Dark Hours comes at a particularly fitting time. Swedish rock publication Rocknytt recently ranked the album at #3 on a list of the best hard rock albums by Swedish bands of all time.
Upon its original release, Dark Hours received widespread international acclaim. The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the Swedish Metal Awards, named Album of the Month by Sweden Rock Magazine (9/10), and reached the Top 10 of the Soundchecks in leading German magazines including Metal Hammer, Rock Hard, Heavy and Rock It!.
Over the years, LION’S SHARE have toured extensively with legendary acts including SAXON, DIO, MOTÖRHEAD, MANOWAR, U.D.O., ICED EARTH and NEVERMORE, further establishing the band as one of Sweden’s most respected names in melodic heavy metal.
Originally released in 2009, Dark Hours remains one of the most highly regarded albums in the LION’S SHARE catalogue, built around heavy riffs, memorable melodies and a strong historical theme.
The album features a guest guitar solo from Michael Romeo of SYMPHONY X and was mixed and mastered by acclaimed engineer and producer Jens Bogren (OPETH, ARCH ENEMY, AMON AMARTH, KREATOR) at Fascination Street Studios.
For LION’S SHARE, the reissue also marks another chapter in a busy year following the release of Inferno in March — the band’s first studio album in 17 years. Inferno received exceptional international reviews, reached #3 in Sweden Rock Magazine’s Critics Poll, earned a perfect 10/10 from Powerplay Magazine, spent eight consecutive weeks on the US Metal Radio Charts, and the single “We Are What We Are” has surpassed one million Spotify streams.
Looking ahead, LION’S SHARE have already confirmed their return to Germany, with a performance at Sicking High Rock in Weselberg on June 26, 2027. Additional club shows around the festival date will be announced at a later stage.
With Dark Hours now finally available on vinyl, the timing could hardly be better for both longtime fans and those discovering the album for the first time.
Dark Hours is out today, August 28, via Metalville.
CD, black vinyl and a limited yellow vinyl edition are available now.
LION’S SHARE – Dark Hours
Release date: August 28, 2026
Label: Metalville
Nils Patrik Johansson – Vocals
Lars Chriss – Guitars
Sampo Axelsson – Bass & Keyboards
Conny Pettersson – Drums
Produced by: Lars Chriss
Mixed and mastered by: Jens Bogren
Tracklist:
Judas Must Die
Phantom Rider
Demon In Your Mind
Heavy Cross To Bear
The Bottomless Pit
Full Metal Jacket
The Presidio 27
Barker Ranch
Napalm Nights
Space Scam
Behind The Curtain
Official Links:
Website: http://www.lionsshare.org
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4yIytMmJ2tx30YdMAMkDSo
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/lionsshare
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lionsshareband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lions_share_band/
Bandcamp: https://lionsshare.bandcamp.com
Bandsintown: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/49234
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