Diamond Plate might be one of the more recent additions to the revivalist thrash metal scene but they do not sound like amateurs. They are also younger than some of their counterparts; lead singer Matt Ares is only nineteen years old. With their second album, Pulse (Earache Records), they separate themselves from other thrash revivalists such as Violator and Skeletonwitch while still remaining true to the genre’s roots. Diamond Plate is able to turn back the clocks, but keep it fresh.
In terms of lyrics, Diamond Plate falls somewhere between the likes of Municipal Waste and Toxic Holocaust. Their songs are of the more serious sort but they do not always revolve around death or war. Album opener ‘Walking Backwards’ is the kind of song that instantly grabs any heavy metal fan’s attention. It builds up slowly but strongly. The tune sets the feel for the album as a whole. It has all the parts of a classic thrash track but also throws in some more modern sound. Matt Ares has hints of early James Hetfield in his voice.
‘Still Dreaming’ is where the album starts to stray a bit from thrash metal and separates Diamond Plate from the others. It’s not a bad thing either. The intro is trippy and unexpected; almost like something a modern Pink Floyd would do in terms of vocal and sound distortion. It may be a divisive aspect for some metal fans that are more pure about their music but it signals that the band will not be chained to the genre. ‘Face To Face’ is another song that channels the sixties vibe though in a different manner. The band channels Timothy Leary by turning ‘Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out’ into a main part of the song’s lyrics.
Unfortunately the last few songs on Pulse are forgettable, though solid metal tunes. They are the kind of tracks that one can listen to but not really pay much attention to. ‘Rainmaker’ is a little on the longer side clocking in at over six minutes while ‘Persistence Of Memory’ is an instrumental that feels like it’s an intro that’s gone on for too long.
Despite the second half of the album not being as strong as the first half, Diamond Plate still have the chops it takes to become one of the greater bands in the thrash revival. From listening to the album as a whole, it is evident that the group made the right choice in rejecting offers from labels during their high school years and instead letting themselves develop lyrically and sonically. They will no doubt continue to grow musically.
7.5/10
Melissa Campbell