Album review: DIAMOND RAIN – Chapter One

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 23.10.26]

Diamond Rain are a new band led by the silver masked High Priest, who is backed by Arch Lector and The Faithful Disciples. It sounds on paper like a Lidl version of Ghost, however, the press release mentions Blue Öyster Cult, Roxette, and KISS as influences, so this reviewer’s interest was tweaked…

The single ‘Naked City’ opens proceedings and it is a gloriously hook filled, 80′s influenced melodic rocker. Throughout the album, the aforementioned KISS in their mid-80s guise and the Night Flight Orchestra come to mind as musical comparisons.

Fancy a bit of 80′s rock disco? ‘I Need Love’ hits the Flock Of Seagulls bullseye! Got to love those synths and rhythmic backing.

Plenty of instant songs on here including ‘Spiritual Revolution’ (check out the sizzling keys solo) and ‘Rosalie Hillsong’, where Diamond Rain dip into their pop sensibilities again.

That Blue Öyster Cult reference comes through on ‘Alistash’, which has a strong chorus and plenty of supernatural references in the lyrics. Buck Dharma approved guitar solo on this song too.

Diamond Rain are either born a few decades too late, as they’d have been all over the radio and Kerrang! back in the 80′s, or they are cannily catching a ride on the success of Ghost. If they become a live proposition be interesting to see what sort of stage show they put on.

An enjoyable listen and opening chapter for Diamond Rain. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

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HOKKA Vampire (Nuclear Blast Records)
HOLLOW PACT Witchking (Sumerian Records)
RETURN TO ZERO Dark Matter (Eve Music)
MMMR MUSIC Fire’s Still Burning (Duckfat Records)

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12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
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