Epic melancholy
Finally the new Diorama album has arrived. Admittedly, I was a bit sceptical. The predecessor 'Even The Devil Does Not Care' had not really convinced me back then. The more I'm pleased to report with what pleasure I have listened to the sounds and the profound lyrics.
The album was done (music, lyrics, performed, produced and recorded) by Felix Marc (Frozen Plasma) and Torben Wendt (Diary Of Dreams). Together they are a dream team of gloom, brothers in sadness and a perfect match for a wonderful record like 'Zero Soldier Army'.
Shaded, dynamic and cultivated songs
The whole album is covered in a dark and post-apocalyptic atmosphere. It's packed to the brim with strange electronic industrial sounds that remind me of the last two 'Gary Numan' albums 'Dead Son Rising' and 'Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind)'. Furthermore it benefits from an acoustic painting out of the the Electrorock corner à la 'Mesh'. This comes especially to light in the song 'Defcon'.
The opener, first single, and title-giving song 'Zsa' (Zero Soldier Army) is an awesome epic song that introduces the album perfectly. The song starts quietly as a ballad, takes a (slightly too long) time to build up a perfect suspense, but at 3:10 minutes the track explodes into a monumental and bombastic sound that crashes down onto you. I bow my head to this composition.
The second and longest (7:02 minutes) song 'Off' shows the same framework as the opener. However, this one is even more powerful and driving than 'Zsa'. Some lyrics are spit out like a military drill, underlaid with hard electronic beats. Your mind gets soothed again by the chorus with a dreamy melody and a much softer voice. I simply love this song!
Gloomy peaks
Furthermore I strongly recommend you to listen to my personal highlights on this grand record: 'Beta' is a highly energetic song with a pulsing beat that has the potential to become a club classic. Be ready for the echo!
The song 'Polaroids' sounds like it´s been on my mind for decades now. It feels familiar, but at the same time absolutely fresh. It's a classic Synth Pop structure filled with all kinds of new electronic samples and some rough electro guitars.
Last but not least in the recommendation list is the track 'Comfort Zone'. That one impressed me with a Big-Beat-Esque sound. It's weird and complicated to explain, but the Trumpet-bass-beats gets me immediately.
Finally convinced
All past 'Diorama' albums had some good songs, but I was never convinced by a whole album. 'Zero Soldier Army' changed this on the spot. Overall I'm totally overwhelmed by this new piece of work and it will get a special place in my collection, as well as I'm pretty sure it will end up high in the Electrozombies annual ranking 2016! Enough of babbling in romance. Buy now!
By the way, this album also made it into our article ‘The best Synth Pop and genre-related albums 2016‘. Read now.
Track By Track Rating
