Diamantide – Diamantide

Diamantide
Diamantide
Label: WormHoleDeath
Out: February 21^st, 2025
Playing time: 51:30

Diamantide were founded in September 2023 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The project had been in guitarist Massimiliano Maggiari’s desk drawer for a long time. He is also the band’s main songwriter and producer. If you read between the lines of the press release, the release of the self-titled debut album was already planned for 2024. But apparently there were some delays, so the release will not take place until February this year. Some well-known musicians were found for the album.

‘Madness’ starts with hectic drumbeats and guitar riffs. This calms down a little when Nadin Zakharyan’s vocals kick in. She sings powerfully and in a lower vocal range. ‘Poor Kings’ sounds much more melodic. Beautiful guitar melodies can also be heard here. The drums drive forward very rhythmically. The refrain is easy to sing along to. The song is rounded off by a guitar solo. ‘Faces’ starts with a guitar and drum fade-in. This is followed by guitar riffs that alternate between rhythmic and hectic. The vocals are calm and musical, far less hectic than the instrumental passages. Once again, melodic guitar solos can be heard, some of which are underpinned by electric piano sounds. Keyboard and bass introduce the calm ‘Fear’. Nadin shows her softer side, but here too mostly with a dark timbre. A great semi-ballad. The singer ‘rests’ a little on ‘Born Again’. Tom S. Englund (guitarist and singer of Evergrey) takes over the vocal part here. His voice also fits the sound well. The guest on bass is Roberto Tiranti, singer and bassist of the Italian Power Metal band Labyrinth. Essentially a very melodic song. However, it is not without slightly hectic prog elements. ‘Fragments Of Innocence’ takes us back to the beginning. Fast drumming and hectic riffs are underpinned by epic choruses. And as expected, things become a little quieter again at times during Nadin’s vocals. Drummer Joe Londeree in particular drives his fellow musicians on. From time to time, the singer seems to squeeze the notes out of her innermost being. The guitar solo is also played hectically and quickly. Acoustic guitars introduce the contemplative ballad ‘Take Me To Life’. As with ‘Fear’, Nadin’s vocals, accompanied by electric piano and strings, sound beguiling. Later, the drums add a certain heaviness, and the electrically amplified instruments take over the melodic lead of the song, which has now been transformed into a power ballad. The song then ends on a contemplative note. As a bonus, there is another version of ‘Madness’. The guest singer is no stranger. Mark Basile is the voice of the Italian progressive Power Metal band DGM.

Diamantide’s self-titled album features a balanced blend of Progressive Metal, Melodic Metal and Power Metal. There is also a variety of orchestral epics. The vocals are mostly melodic and often force the instrumentalists to play melodically as well. The vocal range of Nadin Zakharyan is impressive. Guitarist and mastermind Massimiliano Maggiari always comes up with strong guitar solos. Drummer Joe Londeree has to work hard time and again. But this wouldn’t be complete without the solid low-frequency foundation of bassist Alex Sandor Tamas. Diamantide have produced a very good debut album.

Diamantide – Poor Kings: https://youtu.be/FpGwXnaNpWk?si=i5LLQNVu_MfX2zBM

Lineup:

Nadin Zakharyan – Vocals
Massimiliano (Max) Maggiari – Guitars, Keyboards
Alex Sandor Tamas – Bass
Joe Londeree – Drums

Track list:

• Madness
• Poor Kings
• Faces
• Fear
• Born Again
• Fragments Of Innocence
• Take Me To Life
• Madness (Bonus track)