photo credit: Jens Rydén
New album Swagger & Stroll Down The Rabbit Hole due 2nd November via Candlelight/Spinefarm
Progressive eight-piece Swedish ensemble Diablo Swing Orchestra continue with graceful uproar on their festival inspired, carnival cornucopia, musical rollercoaster ride. As the release date for their extraordinary fifth album Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole quickly approaches on Día de los Muertos, 2nd November, via Candlelight/Spinefarm, Diablo Swing Orchestra share their high velocity single ‘Speed Dating An Arsonist’.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/UHeMHkPyNQ0
Pre-order Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole here: https://diabloswingorchestra.lnk.to/SwaggerandStrollDownTheRabbitHole
Comments guitarist/vocalist Daniel Håkansson: “We’ve been trying to write this song now for two albums and finally we got it right. Both ‘Karma Bonfire’ and ‘Voodoo Mon Amour’ from previous albums were meant to have electronic influences, but it didn’t work out and maybe we didn’t have the confidence to leave some of the heavy guitars out. And in hindsight we’re quite happy things worked out this way, so that we could write this song that we think will help people to work on their dance moves”
The unstoppable octet are known for pairing elements of jazz, swing, classical and progressive rock with just about everything in between. Since their foundation in 2003 the band have released four studio albums which push musical boundaries to the extreme with humour, creativity and a healthy dose of positive aggression. Their debut The Butcher’s Ballroom was a breath of fresh air when it came out in 2006 to worldwide critical acclaim. The band’s fifth effort Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole is by far their most ambitious undertaking which pays tribute to all four previous releases and adds some new colours to their already broad pallet of sounds.
DSO have once again teamed up with producer Roberto Laghi (In Flames, Hardcore Superstars) who has become almost the ninth member of the orchestra. Together they’ve dug deeply into each of the genres explored in the thirteen album tracks and worked hard to find the appealing genre characteristics to forge their own sound. This approach has resulted in a impressive list of guest musicians and some very interesting clashes between sounds which, at least on paper, shouldn’t work. Listeners with an open mind will be rewarded by numerous goodies littered throughout the album, ranging from the tribal assault that is ‘War Painted Valentine’ to the Zeppelin-gospel-infused ‘Snake Oil Baptism’.
As with many bands Covid-19 presented multiple challenges but also granted opportunities which allowed them to take their time in the studio since there was no tour waiting to happen. The mixing process alone took over half a year but Diablo Swing Orchestra are confident that they’ve produced an album which will leave an indelible mark, whilst inspiring others to try out fresh ideas on genre blending.
Diablo Swing Orchestra online:
Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole Tracklisting:
1. Sightseeing In The Apocalypse
2. War Painted Valentine
3. Celebremos Lo Inevitable
4. Speed Dating An Arsonist
5. Jig Of The Century
6. The Sound Of An Unconditional Surrender
7. Malign Monologues
8. Out Came The Hummingbirds
9. Snake Oil Baptism
10. Les Invulnéables
11. Saluting The Reckoning
12. The Prima Donna Gauntlet
13. Overture To A Ceasefire