Diablo Swing Orchestra – Pacifisticuffs (2017)

Finally returning after a five-year stint without new releases, today we have Sweden’s Diablo Swing Orchestra and their truly kooky and extremely diverse Avant-garde Metal music. With “Pacifisticuffs” we are instantly transported into the band’s unique world with thirteen brilliant tracks filled with lush instrumentation, superbly catchy melodies and chaotic creativity.

Opening with the superbly catchy “Knucklehugs (Arm Yourself with Love)”, the band makes a very quick impression with this chaotic piece that mixes everything from Punk-ish elements with Country-Western influences to Jazzy and Bluesy elements, creating a very unique song. Setting a very dark opening mood with string instruments, “The Age of Vulture Culture” leads up to some Mariachi-like passages led by the charismatic Kristin Evegård, the band’s new female vocalist. This track in particular reminds us of bands like Russkaja.

The album is filled with truly unique songs that are full of beautiful chaos, like the playful “Superhero Jagganath” and its funky vocal and trumpet arrangements, and the Flamenco-esque “Lady Clandestine Chainbreaker”, which features some of the finest female vocals in this release and a superbly catchy vibe. One of our favorite tracks has to be the ABBA-esque “Jigsaw Hustle”, with its killer guitar arrangements and super intoxicating atmosphere.Focusing on shorter and more direct songs, the band unleashes brilliant tracks like “Shining” and the jazzy “Your Exploding Heads”, both pieces featuring killer vocal arrangements and playful percussions. The band’s use of retro synths and amps is brilliant and allows their sound to be quite authentic. Our personal favorite track is the mysterious “You and Eyes”, which in turn is one of the longest, and most epic, track of the album.

Having a little bit of everything for everybody, the album features songs like “Ode to the Innocent”, which feels like the perfect song for a film noir score. The theatrical nature of “Interruption” gives it a very unique vibe and will get even the dullest person tapping to its rhythm. In old-school DSO fashion, “Karma Bonfire” is one hell of a song filled with lush vocal arrangements and superbly catchy instrumentation, this is the quintessential song to represent the band’s unique musical approach.

Saving one of the more ‘serious’ tracks for last, “Climbing the Eyewall” is a very mellow piece with brilliant string elements and a mysterious vibe. There are a few instrumental tracks scattered through this album that nicely shape the flow of this release and enhance the overall experience. As a whole “Pacifisticuffs” is definitely the perfect continuation for the band’s illustrious and unique musical trajectory. The release combines elements from their past albums with newer and wackier influences, allowing for a brilliant album that will erase the 5 years wait from your mind.

Label: Spinefarm/ Candlelight

Release: December 8th, 2017

Genre: Avant-garde Metal

Country: Sweden