Beyond The Breakers

Diamonds Hadder

DIAMONDS HADDER are very much influenced by DIO-era RAINBOW, by the DIO-era BLACK SABBATH and the first few DIO albums. Do you see a pattern emerging here?
January 29, 2025

There are hot spots for bands that just keep on giving. One of those is Los Angeles in California, USA. If you try to write down which good bands have hailed from that area, you don’t have enough space on any format of paper. And now you have DIAMONDS HADDER. They released their debut album “Beyond The Breakers” on 22 November 2024 and I am the lucky sod who gets to review it. The music these guys make can best be described as Pompous Metal. I know, we have Epic Metal and Symphonic Metal, but that just doesn’t fit the bill here. DIAMONDS HADDER are very much influenced by DIO-era RAINBOW, by the DIO-era BLACK SABBATH and the first few DIO albums. Do you see a pattern emerging here? (Just listen to “Long is the Road” and see if you aren’t encouraged to start singing “We Rock”!)

They have successfully merged all those sounds together, but have also used some Progressive Metal influences and even some current soundscapes and ideas. I can only say that it works, and what also is very insightful by DIAMONDS HADDER is that they have not tried to get rid of the rough edges that comes with making music from the heart. It gives “Beyond The Breakers” an extra level of authenticity. And when you have a singer who actually will remind you of RONNIE JAMES DIO when he uses his normal voice you will feel impressed. That only heightens when he goes up an octave and all of a sudden you have BRUCE DICKINSON coming out of your speakers. No, he is not a copy of the singers mentioned, but he does have that kind if impressive voice that will make you think of them. And it only gets stronger when the music is as I described.

Not only that, almost all the songs are impressive. They not only have the vibes I described, but also the quality. I know I mention this in just about every review I do, but it is my way of ensuring you know what I really think of an album. And I can honestly say that I am very impressed with “Beyond The Breakers”, and therefore with DIAMONDS HADDER. The only question marks I have are with “200 North” (what is the point of this one?) and the closer of almost 15 minutes “Evermore”. The latter just doesn’t live up to the rest of the album. It is still a good song, but just a tad less than the rest. So, if you love your RAINBOW, BLACK SABBATH and DIO, you should give “Beyond The Breakers” a try. I did, and I am very much looking forward to listening to it again, all the time wondering what DIAMONDS HADDER will come up with next.

9 / 10

Almost Perfect

Songwriting

8

Musicianship

9

Memorability

9

Production

9
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"Beyond The Breakers" Track-listing:

 

1. Ballad of the Dead Rabbit

2. Rivers End

3. 200 North

4. Long is the Road

5. City of Fire

6. Master of Illusion

7. Evermore

 

Diamonds Hadder Lineup:

 

John Evermore - Vocals, All instruments

 

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