Diaries Of A Hero
You may recall that we interviewed the chaps from Diaries Of A Hero a while back, just before they were due to hit the road with Anthrax and Motorhead, something they were pretty excited about needless to say. As part of the interview we were also sent through a copy of their album, Behind The Mask, to check out to see what we thought. Seeing as they’d secured a pretty cool support slot, and given how nice a chap I generally tend to be, I figured I’d hit play, sit back, and see what these guys had on offer for us!
Shine Upon The Sun gets things in motion for us it’s clear why these guys are getting the recognition that they are, it’s a hammering start to things which immediately sets the scene for what’s to follow. Hard hitting guitar lines combine with syncopated drum lines and soaring vocals, the mix forming something which makes you want to get out to a show to see it first hand, but also encourages you to think about what you’re hearing – it’s not simple but not over complicated at the same time. This theme continues throughout the track as each moment presents a new twist and turn, another moment which sits you back and makes you listen, and continues to show why it is we need to be paying attention to the name Diaries Of A Hero from here onwards. Intricate guitar lines, roving bass rhythms, pounding drums and catchy vocals, this track has it all, and we’re only on the first track! Title track Behind The Mask continues to show off the bands style, opening with a soaring lead line accompanied by a pummelling backing riff designed to get crowds moving and people involved from the off. Adopting a heavier approach to the vocals this time around, there’s a real sense of Bullet For My Valentine style metal at times yet a more updated and fresh approach at others, showing off the bands ability to combine different approaches into one track and succeeding at doing so. A definite high point on the album, this is one to make sure you check out if you get a chance.
Broken Tears slows things down for a moment, this time opening with a soft guitar line which hooks you in and asks you to listen harder, showing off the more technical side to the band once again and showing they know exactly what they’re doing. Moving back towards the distorted side of things, we’re soon thrust back onto the ride with the band, the guys once again treating us to a carefully crafted melee of distorted elements, powerful drum lines and those hooky vocals. This is another track which stands out as a serious high point on the record, the sort of track which works its way into your head and sticks there for a long while to come. Follow The Hero is further testament to this, offering up another guitar driven mix of elements which all combine into a monster of a sound, one which you can see working incredibly well on the live scene. Once again this track is evidence of why they’ve achieved the support slot they have, it’s got a sense of Avenged Sevenfold thrown into the mix but with more venom and power, avoiding any clichéd moments and instead simply hammering out a straight up, awesome to witness metal track.
Scars Of Addiction marks a change in things all over again, once again opening with a soft yet dark approach designed to lure you in and forming into a ballad like mix of darkened calm. Despite this, the guys still manage to incorporate soaring lead lines and gravelly vocals into the mix, ushering in that sense of calm and reflection and combining it with their signature approach to metal, proving once and for all that there’s a new band on the scene, and they’re a unit we need to be paying some serious attention to from here onwards. Southern Belles, Ashes In The Rain and Mirror House all continue to push the boundaries of the album, each track coming as a unique take on the signature metal sound but still managing to keep a sense of recognition flowing through things. It’s when Emotions comes about though that we’re once again treated to another serious high point on the album. Hammering onwards and combining a solid lead line with that awesome distorted riff backing, the mix here is one which is funky, groovy, and downright dirty. Pinch harmonics abound before roaring vocals are ushered in, adopting a sound akin to what Pantera would have sounded like had they still been going now. Heavy, raw and yet well put together and produced, this track is one of my personal favourites from the record, the sort of track which you know you’ll come back to time and time again, loving it just as much every time you hear it.
Closing with My Own Tragedy the album closes on another pinch harmonic laden track, finishing as it began and showing that even up until the closing moments of the record there’s no holding back. I always think it’s a cliché to say that an album closes on a high but that’s exactly what’s happened here, the album closes leaving no doubt that it’s been one hell of a journey, and making you want to go back through it all over again just to make sure you didn’t miss a single second.
As soon as saw that Lemmy had picked the guys in Diaries Of A Hero to support them on the tour I knew this was going to be a good album, but I didn’t have it down as being as good as it turned out to be. From start to finish this is an album which hooks you in, keeps you listening and reminds you what’s so cool about the world of metal. Track after track seems to flow out of the speakers, each one pushing the bar higher and higher and setting one hell of a task for the guys in their follow up – so get on and do some more guys!
To find out more about Diaries Of A Hero, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Shine Upon The Sun gets things in motion for us it’s clear why these guys are getting the recognition that they are, it’s a hammering start to things which immediately sets the scene for what’s to follow. Hard hitting guitar lines combine with syncopated drum lines and soaring vocals, the mix forming something which makes you want to get out to a show to see it first hand, but also encourages you to think about what you’re hearing – it’s not simple but not over complicated at the same time. This theme continues throughout the track as each moment presents a new twist and turn, another moment which sits you back and makes you listen, and continues to show why it is we need to be paying attention to the name Diaries Of A Hero from here onwards. Intricate guitar lines, roving bass rhythms, pounding drums and catchy vocals, this track has it all, and we’re only on the first track! Title track Behind The Mask continues to show off the bands style, opening with a soaring lead line accompanied by a pummelling backing riff designed to get crowds moving and people involved from the off. Adopting a heavier approach to the vocals this time around, there’s a real sense of Bullet For My Valentine style metal at times yet a more updated and fresh approach at others, showing off the bands ability to combine different approaches into one track and succeeding at doing so. A definite high point on the album, this is one to make sure you check out if you get a chance.
Broken Tears slows things down for a moment, this time opening with a soft guitar line which hooks you in and asks you to listen harder, showing off the more technical side to the band once again and showing they know exactly what they’re doing. Moving back towards the distorted side of things, we’re soon thrust back onto the ride with the band, the guys once again treating us to a carefully crafted melee of distorted elements, powerful drum lines and those hooky vocals. This is another track which stands out as a serious high point on the record, the sort of track which works its way into your head and sticks there for a long while to come. Follow The Hero is further testament to this, offering up another guitar driven mix of elements which all combine into a monster of a sound, one which you can see working incredibly well on the live scene. Once again this track is evidence of why they’ve achieved the support slot they have, it’s got a sense of Avenged Sevenfold thrown into the mix but with more venom and power, avoiding any clichéd moments and instead simply hammering out a straight up, awesome to witness metal track.
Scars Of Addiction marks a change in things all over again, once again opening with a soft yet dark approach designed to lure you in and forming into a ballad like mix of darkened calm. Despite this, the guys still manage to incorporate soaring lead lines and gravelly vocals into the mix, ushering in that sense of calm and reflection and combining it with their signature approach to metal, proving once and for all that there’s a new band on the scene, and they’re a unit we need to be paying some serious attention to from here onwards. Southern Belles, Ashes In The Rain and Mirror House all continue to push the boundaries of the album, each track coming as a unique take on the signature metal sound but still managing to keep a sense of recognition flowing through things. It’s when Emotions comes about though that we’re once again treated to another serious high point on the album. Hammering onwards and combining a solid lead line with that awesome distorted riff backing, the mix here is one which is funky, groovy, and downright dirty. Pinch harmonics abound before roaring vocals are ushered in, adopting a sound akin to what Pantera would have sounded like had they still been going now. Heavy, raw and yet well put together and produced, this track is one of my personal favourites from the record, the sort of track which you know you’ll come back to time and time again, loving it just as much every time you hear it.
Closing with My Own Tragedy the album closes on another pinch harmonic laden track, finishing as it began and showing that even up until the closing moments of the record there’s no holding back. I always think it’s a cliché to say that an album closes on a high but that’s exactly what’s happened here, the album closes leaving no doubt that it’s been one hell of a journey, and making you want to go back through it all over again just to make sure you didn’t miss a single second.
As soon as saw that Lemmy had picked the guys in Diaries Of A Hero to support them on the tour I knew this was going to be a good album, but I didn’t have it down as being as good as it turned out to be. From start to finish this is an album which hooks you in, keeps you listening and reminds you what’s so cool about the world of metal. Track after track seems to flow out of the speakers, each one pushing the bar higher and higher and setting one hell of a task for the guys in their follow up – so get on and do some more guys!
To find out more about Diaries Of A Hero, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls