Lord (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Predecessor | Dungeon |
| Founded | 2003 in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia |
| Founder | Lord Tim Grose |
| Defunct | 2023 |
| Fate | Disbanded due to a confidential legal issue |
| Headquarters | Wollongong , Australia |
Area served | Australia, New Zealand, Japan |
Key people | Lord Tim Grose (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Andy Dowling (bass guitar, vocals), Mark Furtner (guitar, vocals) |
| Products | Music albums, EPs |
| Owner | Dominus Records (label) |
Number of employees | Band members and session musicians |
| Website | lord |
Lord (occasionally presented as LORD) was a power metal group originating from Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Established in 2003 by "Lord Tim" Grose initially as a solo endeavour after his tenure with Dungeon, LORD transformed into a complete band following Dungeon's breakup in 2005. They shared stages with prominent bands including Queensrÿche, Nightwish, Nevermore, Saxon, and Gamma Ray. The band's name is commonly rendered in all capital letters.
Origins: 1988-2005
From 1988 until 2000, Lord Tim Grose, the vocalist and guitarist of Dungeon, wrote songs that he felt were too intimate or stylistically different for Dungeon's repertoire. These compositions were eventually gathered into the album A Personal Journey under the moniker LORD in 2003. Following Dungeon’s disbandment in 2005, LORD expanded into a full band featuring Grose, drummer Tim Yatras (also formerly of Dungeon), guitarist Mav Stevens, and bassist Andy Dowling from Brisbane’s metal group Sedition. Yatras brought experience from black metal outfits like Nazxul and Austere. The original album was remastered to signify this new phase.
Live debut and lineup shifts: 2006-2009
LORD made their live performance debut on 31 March 2006, which was succeeded by a nationwide tour and supporting appearances for bands such as Queensrÿche, Nevermore, Gamma Ray, Leaves' Eyes, Atrocity, and Skinless. They also took part in the final edition of the Metal for the Brain festival. In December 2006, guitarist Stevens exited due to personal reasons and relocation to the United Kingdom. Shane Linfoot temporarily filled the guitarist role early in 2007 before Mark Furtner became a permanent member later that year, contributing to the August 2007 release Ascendence. Guest guitarist Chris Brooks added solos on select tracks.
In May 2008, LORD toured Australia’s east coast alongside Saxon and later that year issued the EP "Hear No Evil," which included new compositions, live recordings, and a rendition of Kylie Minogue's "On a Night Like This". Their album Set in Stone was released in September 2009 featuring guest performances from musicians such as Craig Goldy (Dio), Glen Drover (Eidolon), Pete Lesperance (Harem Scarem), Felipe Andreoli (Angra), Chris Porcianko (Vanishing Point), Justin Sayers (Platinum Brunette), Chris Brooks, and Stu Marshall (Paindivision). Extensive tours across Australia, New Zealand, and Japan followed that year.
Drummer Tim Yatras departed in June 2009 and was succeeded by Damian Costas from Sydney-based Vanquish. In January 2010, Lord Tim revealed he was coping with a medical condition restricting his guitar playing ability; Matthew Bell stepped in as a temporary guitarist during his recuperation.
Sustained achievements, Fallen Idols and Undercovers: 2010-2021
September 2010 saw the release of LORD’s "Return of the Tyrant" EP featuring an orchestrated title track lasting ten minutes along with acoustic versions of songs from both Dungeon and LORD. Their fourth studio album Digital Lies followed in 2013.
After a six-year gap, their fifth album Fallen Idols was launched in August 2019 through their own Dominus Records label. Former drummer Tim Yatras returned as a session musician on this record. The lead single "United (Welcome Back)" was unveiled earlier that year. Fallen Idols achieved a peak position of #20 on the Australian Artist Album Charts.
Bassist Andy Dowling initiated a podcast series named "Nod to the Old School," which centered on classic metal compilations featuring guests such as Andy LaRocque (King Diamond), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Johnny Dee (Doro), and Lord Tim.
In 2021, LORD released Undercovers Vol.1, an album compiling cover songs from various previous releases alongside new interpretations including Savage Garden’s "To the Moon and Back" and Judas Priest’s "Reckless". The album reached #7 on the Australian Artist Album Chart and secured the top spot on the Independent Australian Album Charts.
Disbandment: 2025–present
On 17 February 2025, Dowling and Furtner revealed through Lord's Instagram account that the band had ceased activities in 2023 due to the emergence of a confidential legal issue safeguarded by Australian privacy regulations. Following the removal of all band-related social media accounts, Dowling shared the announcement again on his own Instagram profile and made LORD’s entire music catalog accessible for free on Bandcamp, highlighting their twenty years of dedication to their body of work.
Members
- Last lineup
- Lord Tim – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards
- Andy Dowling – bass guitar, vocals
- Mark Furtner – guitar, vocals
- Previous members
- Mav Stevens (2005–2006) – guitars, vocals
- Shane Linfoot (live only, 2007) – guitar
- Tim Yatras (2005–2009, 2019) – drums, vocals
- Damian Costas (2009–2014) – drums
- Matthew Bell (live only, 2010) – guitar
- Simon Batley (live only, 2013–2014) – drums
- Darryl Murphy (live only, 2016–2018) – drums
Studio albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| A Personal Journey |
|
| Ascendence |
|
| Set in Stone |
|
| Digital Lies |
|
| A Personal Journey: Revisited |
|
| Fallen Idols |
|
Live albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Live at The Metro |
|
| Live at Prog Power USA XVII |
|
Compilation albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| The Dungeon Era |
|
| Undercovers Vol.1 |
|
EPs
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Hear No Evil |
|
| Return of the Tyrant |
|
| What Tomorrow Brings |
|
| Chaos Raining |
|
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards celebrate accomplishments in Australia's independent music industry.
! |- | 2022 | Undercovers Vol.1 | Best Independent Heavy Album or EP |
External links
- Official resources
- Lord.net.au – official website
- Official Lord channel on YouTube
- Additional resources