Our Top 10 Black Star Riders songs list looks at the songs of a band that were formed from original members of Thin Lizzy and the Thin Lizzy touring band. Original Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham had decided to keep the band Thin Lizzy alive after Phil Lynott had passed away in the 1990s. The group would just tour as a tribute to their past music and never released any new albums under the Thin Lizzy name. Eventually, there was a desire to record new material. However, Scott Gorham was dead set against using the Thin Lizzy name so a new band was formed under the name Black Star Riders. The band consisted of former members of the Thin Lizzy touring bands in the post-Phil Lynott years as well as famous musicians from other bands. Complete lineups are listed below in the song descriptions.
Black Star Riders sound very much like Thin Lizzy. But that’s pretty much the point. It’s a tribute to Thin Lizzy in many ways in keeping the soul of that band alive, but also being respectful by changing the name of the group. Scott Gorham’s guitar sound is vintage-sounding Thin Lizzy but that is because he was the guitarist in Thin Lizzy during the band’s glory days. Lead singer Ricky Warwick sounds eerily like Phil Lynott. Nonetheless, in life we all have to keep moving forward, and that is what these guys have done in delivering great new rock and roll in the 2000s and 2010s for classic rock fans.
# 10 – Tonight the Moonlight Let Me Down
We open up our Black Star Riders songs list with a song with a title that just sounds like it would have been written by Phil Lynott. This great rock and roll song was released as the opening track on the band’s most recent album entitled Another State of Grace. We are going to really try hard not to say this with every track, but this band still sounds so much like Thin Lizzy in the songwriting, the vocals, the lyrics and the instrumentation. I mean listen to that chorus. It sounds like its off Jailbreak or Johnny The Fox. The song “Tonight the Moonlight Let Me Down,” was written by Ricky Warwick, original Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham and Christian Martucci.
# 9 – Another State Of Grace
Continuing with our Black Star Riders songs list we turn to another song from the band’s most recent album entitled Another State Of Grace as we present the album’s great title track, This is a much heavier song that the one we opened up this list with. This is actually a fabulous rock and roll song that really kicks hard. The song “State Of Grace,” was released as the first single from the album. The album Another State Of Grace featured Ricky Warwick on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Scott Gorham on lead and rhythm guitar, Christian Martucci also on lead and rhythm guitar, Robbie Crane on bass and Chad Szeliga on drums.
# 8 – All Hell Breaks Loose
In the number eight spot on our Black Star Riders songs we take a listen to the roaring dark southern rock and roll infused track “All Hell Breaks Loose.” The song was released on the band’s debut album also titled All Hell Breaks Loose. The band sounds like a cross between Thin Lizzy, Foghat and Molly Hatchet which sounds pretty good. The set of musicians featured on this album included Ricky Warwick on vocals and guitar, Scott Gorham on lead guitar, Damon Johnson on lead guitar, Marco Mendoza on bass and Jimmy DeGrasso on drums.
# 7 – Testify or Say Goodbye
Moving along on our Thin Black Star Riders songs list we take a listen to this dual guitar driven monster entitled “Testify or Say Goodbye.” The song was released on the Black Star Riders album named Heavy Fire. The album was released in 2017 and stands as the third studio release from this great band keeping the classic rock sound alive and well in the 2010s. The lineup on this great album featured Ricky Warwick on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Scott Gorham on lead and rhythm guitar, Damon Johnson on lead and rhythm guitar, Robbie Crane on bass Jimmy DeGrasso on drums Wendy Moten, Gale Mayes, Drea Rhenee, Pearl Aday on backing vocals and Fred Mandel playing the Hammond B3 organ on this track only.
# 6 – Bullet Blues
Oh baby do we love this one! This heavy rocking song entitled “Bullet Blues,” was released on the band’s second album entitled The Killer Instinct. The album was released in 2015. The lineup on this album included Ricky Warwick on vocals and guitar, Scott Gorham on lead guitar, Damon Johnson on lead guitar, Robbie Crane on bass and Jimmy DeGrasso on drums. I think it’s safe to say that if you hear this song on the radio and did not know anything about this band, you would have thought this was some sort of incredible unreleased Thin Lizzy song that you had never heard before. The guitar work is phenomenal on this track. Scott Gorham and Damon Johnson really light it up.
# 5 – Ain’t The End Of The World
At the halfway point on our Black Star Riders songs list is one of the most recent singles released by the band entitled “Ain’t The End Of The World.” This is such a cleverly written song goodbye fueled by that unique Thin Lizzy dual guitar sound. The song was released as the second single from the album entitled Another State Of Grace which was released in 2019. The album did pretty well in the United Kingdom breaking into the UK’s top 20 album charts.
# 4 – Bound For Glory
In the number four spot on our Black Star Riders song list is the band’s very first single release entitled “Bound For Glory.” These guys sound like their having a whole lot of fun on this one. This is pure sounding 1970s style classic rock and roll being written, recorded and produced in the 2010s. The song was also released on the band’s debut album entitled All Hell Breaks Loose.
# 3 – Kingdom Of The Lost
In the number three spot on our Black Star Riders songs list we present this great Celtic style song entitled “Kingdom Of The Lost.” This one is deep and lyrically juxtaposed with a sense of pride and pain. The song was released as the third single from the band’s debut album. There is a tribute to many of the great legendary musicians who have passed away at the end of the video. Man I love this band!
# 2 – Hey Judas
This rocking song “Hey Judas,” was released as the second single of the band’s career back in 2013. It’s one of the band’s most addicting and memorable songs they have released during their short career. It features great lyrics, killer guitar work, kicking drumming and bass playing and just an overall all honest tribute to great rock and roll.
# 1 – Finest Hour
We close out our Black Star Riders songs list with a song perfectly titled for the number one spot on this list. The roaring song “Finest Hour,” was released on the band’s album The Killer Instinct. The album was released in 2015. “Finest Hour,” was released as the second single from the album. The song received significant airplay in the United Kingdom even being named Record Of The Week on the BBC Radio 2 Network.
Updated August 2, 2022
Top 10 Black Star Riders Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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