As much as we celebrate those bands on the cutting edge, the ones that push the sonic boundaries time and time again, sometimes all you really need is some adrenaline inducing, straight up rock. The kind that makes you want to grab a beer, scream along and air guitar like an absolute loon with a massive grin on your face. Toronto, Canada based rockers Diemonds may be relatively new on the block but they deliver such euphoria in absolute abundance already.

Following two well received EPs, Never Wanna Die (Napalm) is the band’s first full length effort and delivers a surprisingly solid release brimming with youthful energy and attitude. Despite the modern thrash looking album cover, this is pretty straightforward hard rock that touches upon just about the standard topics; being rebellious and that red, horned fellow. As cliché as it may prove in part it has a believable defiance about it which saves it from sounding disingenuous and manufactured.

It also helps that much of it is so infectious right from the off. The title track proves a cumbersome start as momentum picks up, and the slower ‘Secret’ proves somewhat cringe-worthy but otherwise this is hook laden and very infectious, coupled with the fact that in Priya Panda they have a front woman with a strong set of pipes and, once again, an engaging and very convincing dangerous streak.

You may need to leave your brain at the door for this one (lyrically there isn’t much to philosophize about), but with their début album Diemonds have proven they are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to penning stupid but immensely fun hard rock, perfect for that aforementioned beer.

6.0/10

CHRIS TIPPELL