Saturday 17 March 2018

My Diablo - S/T (Album Review)


Release date: April 2018. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

My Diablo – S/T – Tracklisting

Addiction
You Never Learn
Nightwatch
Fallin’ Man
Peddlers Of Hate
New Age Sin
Pound Of Flesh
Going Down (Hard Like An Anchor)
Faces Of Forever

Members

Lee Cressey - Guitars
Dave-O - Drums/Vocals

Review

My Diablo is the new band formed from the remains of sadly missed Psych/Hard Rock/Stoner Rockers - Mother Corona. It’s good to have Lee and David-O is back performing music again with My Diablo and it's good to hear his powerful vocals yet again. And to hear Lee’s blazing guitar sounds yet again.

Though My Diablo is a different band to Mother Corona. As the band incorporate elements of Punk Rock, Garage Rock, Hard Rock, Stoner Rock and even a Funk based sound. My Diablo have more in common with Clutch than Mother Corona.

Their self-titled debut album is a very curious affair. It's a good sounding album though it does take a few attempts to get use to the many different sounds and influences that band have included on the album.

Opening track - My Addiction - is an upbeat guitar sounding number though the lyrics delve deeper into darker subjects. The song has quite a cool alternative sound with the Stoner elements interacting superbly well.

My Diablo play a fast-paced style of music that would sound fantastic and ground-breaking back in the nineties and early noughties. Today not so much but My Diablo play to their strengths on this album and that's with the music being direct and powerful sounding vocals.

Second track - You Never Learn - has an early-Clutch sound with My Diablo creating a highly energetic and fast-paced sound. I will admit I was head-banging along to the music on my first listen to the album as My Diablo has such a huge likeability factor within their music. They have a real insight for writing bleak lyrics and matching it against almost upbeat and soulful Doom based Stoner Rock vibes.

Third track - Nigthwatch - has a more direct heavy metal approach and even a post-whatever style sound before settling down to a familiar Clutch style of music. David's vocals are on point here with his style firmly rooted in the Grunge arena compared to other songs on the album. The back-up vocals from Lee are more boisterous and perhaps more direct compared to David's. This is a good contrast for My Diablo to have.

My Diablo carry on their Punk/Stoner hybrid sound on the rest of the album with songs such as Fallin' Man, Peddlers Of Hate, New Age Sin and Faces Of Forever offering the most exciting moments on the album. Peddlers Of Hate certainly impressed me with My Diablo's take on Psychedelic Fuzz Rock with a dark hard rock edge. The instrumental work throughout the album is fantastic and is perhaps one of the many strengths of the album. My Diablo's debut album is one of those albums you will never be tired of. As the band have created a record that's highly addictive from start to finish.

It's hard to believe that My Diablo is a duo. As they sound and feel they have more members within their ranks. If My Diablo keeping releasing great albums such as this for future releases then I can see them performing on the more prestigious UK/European Stoner based festivals such as Desertfest and Freak Valley. They have delivered an album that will hopefully establish them as serious Stoner Rock contenders.

Words by Steve Howe

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