Album Review: Sunbeam Overdrive – Diama (Tentacles Industries / Season of Mist)

Founded in 2019 and hailing from Marseille, France, Sunbeam Overdrive mix progressive metal and 90s alternative rock. Their debut album ‘Diama’ is all about elevation, travel, adventure, and energy. It will be released on May 12, 2023, by Tentacles Industries with distribution from Season of Mist.

Standing out from the progressive metal pack with their interesting touches of 90’s alt-rock, Sunbeam Overdrive tickle the senses with their wandering intro of Ascending and the choppy, raw, and animated title track. Before they really lean into the 90’s alt-rock soundscape with Slave to the Void. Where sections of heavy groove come crashing down on the head. Followed then by the anthemic and manic energy of Crimson Stains, one of the album’s more intense moments as Sunbeam Overdrive go quite hard and heavy here.

With more of a melodious and epic stance, Diamond Shape is an expressive and expansive example of Sunbeam Overdrive’s drive and abilities. It’s one of the more thrilling efforts as it shows a band in complete harmony and able to distil a wealth of ideas and a burgeoning imagination into something so listenable.

A short intermission of relaxed melody comes next with Junction Buhl’s Eye, before Deaf and Blind brings back the rocking alternative vitality, and Shen comfortably leans into obscure melody, blasts of rocking groove, with an epic guitar solo being the cherry on top of another strong track.

Though if you’re after something with a more serrated edge, Out of Plato’s Cave will cause some damage. Sunbeam sounding both furiously heavy and grandiose in equal measures. Another highlight of the record simply because of the hectic pacing.

Finally, it’s Hard Sun and the bonus track, Fainted Core to close out a strong arrival for this band. The former is a bit more of a trippy track, with some Southern rock touches, but is delightfully infectious regardless, and the latter is a sweet, bassy, melodic number that is a nice bonus but doesn’t have the same oomph as the other.

Sunbeam Overdrive – Diama Track Listing:

1. Ascending
2. Diama
3. Slave To The Void
4. Crimson Stains
5. Diamond Shape
6. Junction Buhl’s Eye
7. Deaf And Blind
8. Shen
9. Out Of Plato’s Cave
10. Hard Sun
11. Fainted Core (Bonus Track)

Links

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