A good collection of songs is what every metalhead needs for a week. Few albums manage to sound both timeless and strangely modern at the same time. ‘Still Life‘ by Black Diamond feels like a collection of every great riff and drum groove you’ve ever heard, rearranged into something good and familiar.
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I was glad to check out this album by Black Diamond, which is a progressive metal and alternative rock band hailing from Florence, Italy. The act is inspired by renowned acts like Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation, Paradise Lost, Type O Negative, Moonspell, and Evanescence. We get to hear dark, melodic gothic atmospheres and introspective themes in this record.
So now, getting to the album, track by track. The opener, ‘Arcane’, is a heavy-hitting modern metal song with strong riffs and a blend of electronic and industrial sounds mixed with heavy guitars. It features a nice, quiet section in the middle that adds contrast. The title track is a fast-paced track built around powerful riffs and growled vocals, featuring a catchy and memorable chorus. Black Diamond shows a strong start.
Hitting all the marks so far! We then move to ‘Can You Hear Me’ which begins with a strong guitar riff and delivers another energetic, power-packed metal performance.’Locked Inside’ leans more toward alternative rock, showcasing soaring vocals and a melodic structure. ‘Wasteland’ combines elements of metalcore and progressive metal, featuring tight grooves and deep growls. ‘Weight of the World’ is an alternative metal track highlighted by a djent-style chorus riff. ‘Perpetual Today’ is an instrumental piece that blends melodic guitar work with djent influences, reminiscent of the band Intervals.
In ‘Clockwork Slaves’, Black Diamond emphasizes progressive metal drumming and intricate riffing, making it one of the more technical tracks on the album. ‘Assembly Line’ delivers a straightforward alternative rock sound with a focus on melody and rhythm. These two tracks are evidently influenced by the cog in the machine nature of modern work. Blind Faith Broken is an energetic alternative rock and metal power ballad with emotional intensity. In This Prison closes the album with a somber yet powerful alternative rock sound that leaves a strong impression.
The album is a really cool prog metal and alternative rock album with interesting themes and musical diversity. If you like your metal surgically precise and shiny with every note and groove aligned to the last bar, this is the music for you. Overall, ‘Still Life’ by Black Diamond is a strong and cohesive release that brings together atmosphere, some cool technical chops in the songwriting, combined with melody and groove. It’s an album that will appeal to fans of both melody and heaviness.
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