I often get a lot of ‘odd’ albums for review here at teethofthedivine. Albums I can’t quite classify as metal, but also can’t completely discount, or albums I simply can’t describe adequately. The debut album from Philadelphia trio Spark Is A Diamond is all the above.

In short, SIAD is a sort of screamo/punk band fronted by the delectable Alison Bellavance, but rather than regular angst filled, whiny structures and riffs, the music of SIAD is this odd pop, dance beat, electronic littered punk music that’s oddly catchy. Bellavance has a fierce but amicable rasp that’s not grating and she never tries to be all dramatic and sing. The drumming of Joe Drummond is what drives the album, with all the songs having variations of the same dance beat -punchy, simple and effective. The same goes for the riffs of Matt Boylan-which buzz and canter with an addictive, ‘I shouldn’t be liking this’ quality. It’s sorta like Eyes Set To Kill meets, HORSE The Band, Genghis Tron, The Refused and 80’s synth pop.

But I’ll be damned if my foot tapped throughout the whole album, despite the overall sameyness of the beats and riffs-they stuck with me. There’s just a simple, likeable quality to tracks like “Try This On For Size””, “Check Your Lease, Your In Fuck City” “Destination: Awesome”, and “Oh, Captain” that bores into your skull despite you screaming “NO!”. Throw in a grin inducing rollicking cover of Salt N Pepa’s “Push It”, and you get a pretty decent party album for dance, screamo and pop fans all mashed together in one catchy, quirky little album that’s certainly not for ‘real’ metal heads, but will have some odd appeal to the more curious metal fan.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments