LIONHEART Feat. Ex-IRON MAIDEN Guitarist DENNIS STRATTON: ‘Flight 19’ Lyric Video Released

British hard rock veterans LIONHEART have released “Flight 19”“, the first single taken from their new studio album “The Grace Of A Dragonfly”, set for international release on February 23 via Metalville Records.

“Flight 19” relates the story about a group of bombers that disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle on December 5, 1945, after losing contact during a United States Navy overwater navigation training flight from Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale. The song’s industrial choruses convey the mysteriousness surrounding the whole affair.

As soon as the previous album “The Reality Of Miracles” hit the shelves in 2020, LIONHEART knuckled down to record the next one, deciding early on that this time they would produce a concept album. The record centers around World War II, but the band very much wanted to make this an anti-war album, while at the same time remembering those who fought for our freedom.

The songs on “The Grace Of A Dragonfly” are sensational, with Lee Small‘s emotional lyrics reflecting not only the pain and grief inflicted by war on ordinary, innocent people in every conflict zone, but also their strength, resilience, and determination. Supported by LIONHEART‘s superb songwriting, soaring backing vocals, beautiful twin-guitar harmonies, and atmospheric keyboards, LIONHEART‘s sheer power shines brightly from every one of the eleven songs, culminating in a heartfelt prayer for peace in the world.

“The Grace Of A Dragonfly” track listing:

01. Declaration
02. Flight 19
03. V Is For Victory
04. This Is A Woman’s War
05. The Longest Night
06. The Eagle’s Nest
07. Little Ships
08. Just A Man
09. UXB
10. The Grace Of A Dragonfly
11. Remembrance, Praying For World Peace

LIONHEART was founded in late 1980 by Dennis Stratton (ex-IRON MAIDEN),Steve Mann (MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST) and Rocky Newton (ex-MSG) with Clive Edwards (ex-UFO) completing the lineup a little later. The band started playing constant live shows, including regular sold-out gigs at the London Marquee Club. Between 1981 and 1984, more shows followed, including a performance at the Reading Festival 1981 and as support for DEF LEPPARD, WHITESNAKE and SAXON.

In 1984, CBS Records offered LIONHEART a contract. With the new singer Chad Brown, the debut album, “Hot Tonight”, was recorded in Los Angeles. Phil Lanzon (URIAH HEEP) joined the band as a new keyboardist before Chad Brown was replaced by Keith Murrell (AIRRACE, MAMA’S BOYS) in 1985. The band was hit with managerial problems, and it was felt that the momentum was gone, and LIONHEART disbanded in 1985.

Rocky subsequently sang background vocals on the DEF LEPPARD albums “Pyromania” and “Hysteria” before joining the MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP. Steve set up his first commercial studio and then hooked up with Rocky again in the MCAULEY SCHENKER GROUP. Dennis began a 15-year collaboration with PRAYING MANTIS. Clive went on to play with Bernie Marsden and UFO.

In 1999, LIONHEART released a double album with old demos, which sold well and once again generated interest in the band. In 2016, the organisers of the Rockingham Festival in Nottingham invited LIONHEART to play a reunion show. The four founding members seized the opportunity and brought the former SHY frontman Lee Small on board as lead singer. The show received fantastic reviews, and they decided to record another album.

“Second Nature” was released to critical acclaim in 2017 and was voted “AOR Album Of The Year” by Classic Rock magazine. This was followed by an appearance at Sweden Rock Festival, mini co-headline tours through Japan with PRAYING MANTIS, and a U.K. tour with AIRRACE.