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This year has seen the rise of very good bands from Switzerland, and we need to add to the lot BLACK DIAMONDS with their great debut CD "Perfect Sin". It's a recording that's hard wired into Europe’s modern Melodic Hard Rock zeitgeist with a touch of glam, plushly fitted out with compact choruses, memorably melodic hooks and a driving, urgent tempo to many of the songs. At times Black Diamonds' hair sprayed melodic rock will remind you of Reckless Love and the criminally underrated Dynazty, while at others of the guitar-driven yet polished hard rock from late eighties California. There's an astonishing powerful Pretty Maids-inspired opener in "Judgement Day", a catchy radio friendly tune on "I'll Be OK"- which I think the best track here, the euphoric "'We Want To Party" that's suitable to be your Friday night soundtrack, or the spectacular party-vibe hard rock piece of "Somebody Put Something In My Drink". Title track is a stadium-ready anthem very melodic and bouncy, then the dynamic "Read My Lips" and "Hands Of Destiny" offers some riffage taken from the Sunset Strip. On the slower musical side I really enjoyed the solid midtempo "Take My Life" with a strong Cinderella smell, the lighters in the air "Hold On" and the acoustically filled closer "A Thousand Roses". What's often most interesting on Black Diamonds' recipe are the arrangements, where the band frequently use a tried and tested trick – when the tempo of the song drops, the lead guitar picks up the pace, spluttering tunefully all over the chorus like a Chinese firework, or simply going solo, lighting up the darkness with measured bolts of axework lightning. Despite the 'sound likes' comments here, the Black Diamonds genuinely seem ready to shake off any obvious comparisons. Musicianship level is very good, I admire the precise guitar riffs and Mich also has a very unique vocal timbre. Another high point on "Perfect Sin" is the flawless production value for an indie. Everything sounds clear and crisp. But also the superb, determinant mix by Swedish maestro Tobias Lindell (Europe, Crashdiet, Hardcore Superstar) who has added a studio sheen of sophistication to the band's high calibre production and musicianship, and in places, some high quality songwriting. Black Diamonds is a band to watch in near future, they are really, really good. 01 - The Court 02 - Judgement Day 03 - Shot Of Love 04 - I'll Be Ok 05 - Take My Life 06 - Hell Boys 07 - Perfect Sin 08 - Hold On 09 - Read My Lips 10 - We Want To Party 11 - Hands Of Destiny 12 - Evil Seeds 13 - Up All Night 14 - Somebody Put Something In My Drink 15 - A Thousand Roses Mich - Lead Vocals, Guitar Andi - Guitar, Backing Vocals Bernie - Bass, Backing Vocals Manu - Drums, Backing Vocals

Click on the album cover to go to the main site page with the audio samples.