DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA - Pandora's Pinata

I am not sure how to describe the sound of this band, since it's not the typical Metal album. The band from Sweden was formed back in 2003, and this is their third full length if I am correct. First we have the music, and this is the tricky part. The style of music is really hard to define. It starts like an swing orchestra, like the name says, with trumpets and a vibe that travels you in various spaces, with both male and female vocals, clear or operatic, that makes things even more weird and intriguing. As if those weren't enough, there's a very talented drummer, who sometimes dominates the rhythm, and hardens the sound of the band, along with the guitar riffs and the excellent bass lines. Surprise is the key word here, you don't know what to expect, since the songs transform from each style to other, with such ease and quality that leaves you asking for more. The music has a groove, no matter what style, and you find yourself moving along with it, or tapping your feet with every crescendo from start to finish. Well written songs, and the use of various instruments, such as cello, trombone, trumpet,  helped the band create an atmosphere that is really amazing. Speaking of the atmosphere, often reminds the festival feeling of the Balkan traditional music with the heavy use of trumpets and drums. The songs are excellent, from the atmosphere, to the music, everything is so well worked and put into place, so there are no weak points or things that could have been better. If this was a soundtrack to a movie, that would be a twisted modern road movie, with mariachi melodies blending Metal, a cross to the worlds of Robert Rodriguez and Tim Burton. Nevertheless, for die hard Metal fans, the sound will sound weird at first, and might need some spins to reveal it's majesty. But open-minded music fans, will enjoy this till the last minute.

10/10