Diablo Swing Orchestra - The Butcher's Ballroom (2006)

When I first read this band’s name on a website I thought it was another comedy band of Jack Black…

Diablo Swing Orchestra (D:S:O) is a Swedish avant-garde metal band which was formed in 2003.

The Butcher’s Ballroom was released in 2006 and it is a unique 50 minute album with beautiful folk /jazz/swing music inspiration.

Review

Balrog Boogie

Most albums start with the best track… This one is amazing but best does not exist on this album… it is all incredible!!

The song starts with the classical jazz rhythm and suddenly shifts to metal fusion with the weird nice sound of trumpets as the vocalist joins in with her amazing operatic voice. At some point the track sounds like if it’s the soundtrack of the movie “The mask”. There is a lot of progression in it. A male voice sets in, really weird, sounds like a bass instrument.

Bottom line is that it’s weird but very original! Guitar solo resembles nothing like I’ve heard before and the outro suits a festival in New York! It’s a track that sticks in your mind and doesn’t get out.

Rating: 10/10

Heroines

This track starts with a horror guitar/key effect. Cello sound is most noticeable at start.

Steady intro till 1:40 minute and then it’s something else. Opera! The girl should join Nightwish. The background music is always symphonic although progressive at the end, then comes the amazing violin solo.

Rating: 8/10

Poetic Pitbull Revolutions

Here comes the Spanish Latin “Mexicano” folk music as you have never heard before!

Dark night mood (snake rattling). Guitar plays a few lines of the traditional styles and then … Bull fight!! Very Folk-Metal. Notice the percussion rhythm at 3:30 min which is very original.

Rating: 9/10

Ragdoll Physics

Bells ringing fast, keyboard starts playing really this nice effect which sounds like a distorted church organ. That lady, that voice again!! A nice drum part takes place at the middle that sounds like medieval war !

Rating: 8/10

D’angelo

Classic. Classic guitar playing classic music, vocalist sings along … impressive!

Rating: 7/10

Velvet Embracer

Sudden start! Cello violins and guitar playing along the same notes … then it’s pure progressive. Vocalist sings Opera “Aggressively “: if you have heard it you know what I mean!

Rating: 7/10

Gunpowder Chant

Instrumental! Yep Oriental influence / Australian instrument … Nicely designed to set you in the mood for the next track! It sounds like songs by Orphaned land /Ayeron.

Rating: 7/10

Infralove

Guitar plays nice rhythm with drums. Vocalist singing on an oriental scale. Their influences are worldwide!

Notice keyboard line at 3:15 min followed by a solo at 3:44 (with the strange guitar slide at 3:54).

Rating: 7/10

Wedding March for a Bullet

The vocalist starts as Guano Apes and then sings operatically with a complex drum rhythm.

Rating: 8/10

Qualms of Conscience

Piano plays a sad /glory tune … imagine that! 1:16 min

Rating: 6/10

Zodiac Virtues

What should I consider this intro!? Death metal? The male vocalist shows his talent here.

At 2:18 min the keyboard starts with the weirdest effects solo and then the flute plays with a very soft drums background.

Rating: 8/10

Porcelain Judas

Kicks off with a very nice guitar riff, then turns oriental (violin like instrument) plays a very melodic short part. The vocalist adds some effect to his vocals here as you can hear the sound of darbuka. 1:40 min >> never heard anything like this in any mixing and mastering of any music! How the hell do they do it!??

Rating: 9/10