Lana Lane--Project Shangri-La
SPV/Limb 2002
The world of metal and hard rock has always been very much a "boy's club." This being said, it has traditionally been somewhat difficult for women who play this style of music to gain acceptance, survive, and thrive. It has always taken a ton of talent to crack this barrier but with Project Shangri-La, Lana Lane shows she's got the stuff to send that wall completely crumbling to the ground.
Project Shangri-La is an album of amazing progressive hard rock. Musically, it bears a certain likeness to the softer end of Warlock and/or Doro's output--melodic and epic all at once. The difference here is that, while Lana Lane's music does contain some tasty lead work, it is for the most part not guitar driven. Instead, keys take center stage in pacing this music--from clean piano, to synthesizer, to organ. This serves as a fit backing for the true star instrument of Project Shangri-La--Lana Lane's voice. Her vocals are similar to that of a young Ann Wilson's from Heart--very full and powerful beyond imagination. You could also draw comparisons between Lana and Lita Ford in this regard, though Lana Lane is more technically sound and where Lita's voice tends to rasp out when she fully opens up at the end of phrases, Lana's explodes into a full vibrato filled with depth.
From a songwriting standpoint, Project Shangri-La maintains a nice consistency throughout and at the same time manages to mix things up just right. Songs like "Encore" should appeal to those who love melodic, almost poppy material--maybe so far as to connect with fans of a band like Vixen, though this material is certainly more substantial. Then there are songs like the title track which is purely progressive, accentuated by some nice synth work. One of the highlights of Project Shangri-La is "The Beast Within You." Amongst the only guitar driven tracks on the album, this song is straight-up power metal, containing great double bass drumming and a really cool guitar riff. Doro fans will certainly swoon over this one. Lana Lane winds down the album with "Time To Say Goodbye," an overwhelming operatic duet. The way her voice plays off the male counterpart is incredible. It serves to remind you that Lana Lane's voice is the focal point and best part of the proceedings, though there's no way you could lose sight of that fact.
With a knockout voice and strong material to match, Lana Lane deserves all the respect and attention in the world for Project Shangri-La. There is enough variation within its subtleties to appeal to wide varieties of people. From front to back, this album is always solid as well as grand. More than worth a listen.
Get more info on this CD directly from LIMB
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