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Album Reviews : Diamond Construct – DCX2

By on August 9, 2020

Most of the best bands across rock and metal history have grown, expanded, experimented even, whilst retaining core sound and audience, and that’s what we have here. Three releases in, and this most forward thinking of bands from Taree on the New South Wales north coast is absolutely moving in the right direction.

This humble writer considers this band’s self-titled debut album of last year to be among the best Aussie metalcore releases of all time, so that was always going to be a tough act to follow. And while they are really only teasing here, giving us four tracks and less than 15 minutes of music, this mini-EP is pointing at more great things to come from Diamond Construct.

Two things really stand out here, in this sense. The aforementioned growth: this EP has added a few different elements to the band’s sound, a few more strings to their musical bow, whilst not straying too far into left field as to alienate to people who dug the debut. They have thrown a few more ‘urban’ and industrial elements into the mix here, and it blends seamlessly with what they were already doing. Secondly, time has not blunted their musical sting, they have not compromised on the extremities and heaviness of their music one iota, as some bands do in their quest for a broader acceptance. Metalcore has become a little more dark, a little more prickly and nasty in recent years, and that evolution is heavily embodied in this band, among others.

And, as with the debut, this is carried forward skilfully in the production of this release. It is clear, concise and slick, while the delivery of the music itself remains gnarly as hell. It’s an excellent, contrasting juxtaposition.

Much of that angst is borne on the back of frontman Kynan Groundwater’s blistering voice and psychotic delivery. He is certainly pissed off about something, and the impact of the vocals here is palpable.

In a perfect world, this release would have been at least a full EP’s length, and preferably another full-lengther, but of course its brevity is reflective of the strange times we find ourselves in. It’s short, sharp, shocking and to the point, although displaying of a sweet musical growth at the same time. This band is developing into one of the most important acts in the bountiful Aussie metalcore scene, and I can’t wait to see where they go next.

Band: Diamond Construct
EP: DCX2
Year: 2020
Genre: Progressive Metalcore
Label: Greyscale
Origin: Australia

About

Rod Whitfield is a Melbourne-based writer and retired musician who has been writing about music since 1995. He has worked for Team Rock, Beat Magazine, themusic.com.au, Heavy Mag, Mixdown, The Metal Forge, Metal Obsession and many others. He has written and published his memoirs of his life and times in the music biz, and also writes books, screenplays, short stories, blogs and more.