Tracks:

1. Symbol Of Love
2. American Dreamer
3. It's Just Another Day
4. This Game Of Life
5. Heaven
6. All My Love
7. It's So Funny
8. My Girl
9. Man Of God

Label: n/a
Producer: White Diamond
Year: 2001

Total Playing Time: 37:56 m:s
Review date: 23/02/2002

Web site: http://www.whitediamond-demos.com
Email:

Rating: 80 %
Verdict: A blend of melodic hard rock and AOR with a 80s vibe to it

This album is actually an accompaniment to a film. The film is being made by fitness guru Don Lemmon (www.donlemmon.com) about his previous life as a rock musician. The film is all about a band called White Diamond who almost made it to the big time, but got ripped off by a record company. You can read more about the film at the web site. This album is set of demos recorded by the band.

In fact, no one seems too sure what to make of White Diamond - did they ever exist or are they a new band with some interesting ideas on publicity? Check out the web site or an interview at www.heartoftherock.com to make up your own mind. In the interview Don does reveal that the singer from the Norwegian band "Winter Parade" is doing the vocals!

No matter what is actually going on, this CD exists and is looking to find it's home in your record collection. The album consists of a number of original tunes and number of cover tunes. At only 37:56 m:s it just snatches the "Harem Scarem it's too bloody short" award from Takara.

Opener "Symbol Of Love" is an uptempo rocker that has little bit of funk tucked away in the middle of it somewhere, reminding me of Extreme. This is followed by the mid-tempo hard rock meets AOR of "American Dreamer". This same formula is maintained for "It's Just Another Day" which is the best tune so far. There is a real Van Halen - jump vibe about "This Game Of Life".

For the big AOR ballad they cover a Warrant tune called "Heaven". "All My Love" rocks out once again and this is another tune with a Van Halen undercurrent flowing through it. "It's So Funny" is a cover of a Rick Springfield tune with a few lyric changes. If the cover versions so far have been predictable, then the next one isn't. "My Girl" is a surprisingly straight cover of the tune made famous by the Temptations. After that touch of ultra-fluffiness, the band hit hard with a White Metal anthem called "Man Of God".

The album features a mixture of tracks with a few surprises on the first listen. The basic formula is one that contains a blend of melodic hard rock and AOR with a 80s vibe to it. Most Mood Swings readers will find something of interest here. The best moments for me are "This Game Of Life", "It's So Funny" and "Man Of God".

Mood Swings - Nigel Wilson - All Rights Reserved