Diamond Head-Diamond Head (2016)

Diamond Head-Diamond Head (2016)

By: Ghost Writer

On records like Kill Em All and Ride the Lightning it was easy to hear the influence of New Wave of British Heavy Metal band Diamond Head on Metallica's brand of progressive metal, not that Metallica was really into becoming a progressive band, but they were quickly becoming a more instrumental apt band, and that progression can be credited to the flexible variety of music played by the legendary British band.

Diamond Head came to life in 1976, equally influenced, like most NWOBHM bands by classic metal greats like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, and by the new heavier modern metal of Judas Priest and the explosive energy of punk rock, DH weren't as epic as Iron Maiden, neither as commercial appealing as Def Leppard, or as though biker-metal guy as Saxon, but they were definitely coming from the street with a more ambitious sound, using some really innovative song structures the band deserved more recognition, but their lack of interest in heading to London, and the lack of musical experience and vision of their management possibly prevented the band from breaking cult status.

You can definitely hear Diamond Head's influence on Metallica and Megadeth, a lot in Megadeth's current recording which seem to get back a little to Mustaine's musical roots, the band were capable of creating a powerful groove, and talented enough to change it around thus creating infectious themes with complex structures, something that obviously grabbed the attention of Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, and other young thrashers.

9 years from their latest recording, DH are back with a record that promises to keep their identity and still fight to get a place on today's musical scene, it must be impossible for the band to achieve the type of success of his NWOBHM contemporaries, but is a set if songs really worth hearing from this veteran unsung heroes.

The record kicks off with the raucous Bones, a tune that perfectly captures what Diamond Head is all about, it recalls the classic sound of the band displayed on all time classic Helpless, new singer Rasmus Bom Andersen proves to be an outstanding replacement for original singer guitarist Sean Harris, letting the band transcend the loss of a key member, while the bass and drums team of Eddie Moohan and Karl Wilcox show no problem in recreating the classic sound of this metal heroes early day, just check the beginning of Shout at the Devil no, not the Motley Crüe tune, for a taste of what a great guitar band is this featuring the duo of original guitarist Brian Tatler and newcomer Andy Abberley sympathetically trading riffs and solos.

Set My Soul on Fire is a powerful Sabbath influenced slow paced tune, Andersen and company giving the song a distinctive dark blues flavor, with Andersen demonic wail quickly stealing the show, while See You Rise puts on displays the fast flowing complex arrangements the band is known for, featuring a powerful guitar riff and a vocal line by Andersen that would make both Mustaine and Hatfield jealous at the guy's set of pipes.

Just like early Judas Priest the band displays great swagger specially on sngs like the great Wizard Sleeve, or in the guitar biting of Our Time is Knows, a slowly rising tune that shows the band easily flexing its rocking muscle great effect, while the drumming anxiety of songs like It's Electric, another early classis materializes on Speed, another furiously intense delivery by this bunch of seasoned veterans.

Diamond Head is a great record that sadly shows to a non-existing audience how great this band was from the beginning, they sound younger and hungrier than the Leppard or Maiden, but their sound could definitely be better updated in order to appeal to the fans of their famously world known pupils, the stuff that made them a cult band is still there, it takes a little more noise for them to get noticed.