First things first, FIREBIRD's Double Diamond is not a heavy metal record. It is more of a stoner rock album. It's about 30 years too late as far as sound goes. I doubt there will be much of a market for this band. It's not as if classic rock radio stations are going to play it just because the sound fits their playlist. You have to actually be an old band to be played on one of those stations. Having been around since only 1999 isn't going to cut it. The production is dated and ancient sounding. I have no idea why anyone would like this sort of music when there are legitimate classic rock bands out there to support. I don't get the retro market as far as stoner rock goes. The people that listen to this kind of music are normally casual rock fans and if they can't find this CD at a major retailer, they probably won't even know it exists.

I am also not too crazy about the vocals. They are generic. It sounds like something I could do, and that's not a good thing. Some of the music is downright painful to listen to. I keep waiting for something good to happen, and it never does. It is hard for me to review a band that doesn't appear to have any sort of appeal. How on earth is Rise Above Records going to make any money off of a band like this? Do they honestly expect a lot of people to buy this album? Like I said, the market isn't there, and if it is, it's news to me. I won't say the guitar playing is bad because it isn't, but it is uninspired. This is a record you have heard a hundred times before if you listen to the oldies rock station. The song "Ruined" sounds like they are saying "Louis". How hard is it to properly pronounce "ruined"? Apparently for FIREBIRD, it's impossible. Only fans of 70's rock could possibly like this album.

I cannot recommend this album to anyone but an old biker with a ZZ TOP length beard that rides around with a fat overly tattooed woman sitting behind him on the way to Sturgis. I will have to completely pass on this one.