January 02, 2007
Diablo Swing Orchestra
Awesome avant-garde metal from Stockholm!
How many of you have a music collection that includes an album or albums that garnered your attention strictly on the novelty of its concept or delivery? We all have them. Whether it's that album full of mentally handicapped children singing Motown classics or that album of whale mating calls scored to some soothing techno sounds (also known as Enya). They're albums that you only bring out when company is over and almost every spin begins with the statement "you're not going to believe this." Its music you play to get a reaction but not necessarily to be entertained. There are exceptions. The first time you heard Beck's "Loser" you were probably floored by it's strangeness but found yourself replaying it in your car and singing along to its off kilter lyrics and infectious hook. But the marriage of novelty and music is rarely a fruitful one and when a band is able to showcase musical talent and a completely different and bizarre sound, they deserve to be celebrated.
Diablo Swing Orchestra is one of those bands. I've never seen them but I've created an image in my mind of how they must look. Imagine this: A thrash-metal, prog-rock band fronted by an opera singer performing an aria in a language of no discernible origin while her backing band, comprised of a flamenco guitarist, a horn section and an assortment of crazed carnies, looks on with frothing mouths and sallow skin. In my mind the whole thing looks like Lord of the Rings but with more metal glory and less Hobbit gayness. I don't expect you to understand this description because, truth be told, I don't but I do implore you to seek this band out. They won't be easy to find. I'm pretty sure they live in a cave somewhere.
Diablo Swing Orchestra is one of those bands. I've never seen them but I've created an image in my mind of how they must look. Imagine this: A thrash-metal, prog-rock band fronted by an opera singer performing an aria in a language of no discernible origin while her backing band, comprised of a flamenco guitarist, a horn section and an assortment of crazed carnies, looks on with frothing mouths and sallow skin. In my mind the whole thing looks like Lord of the Rings but with more metal glory and less Hobbit gayness. I don't expect you to understand this description because, truth be told, I don't but I do implore you to seek this band out. They won't be easy to find. I'm pretty sure they live in a cave somewhere.