SINGLE REVIEW - Diamonds To Dust - "Corpus Christi"
Diamonds To Dust brings a message of salvation through vicious breakdowns and disgusting gutturals in “Corpus Christi”
Written by JD Walker
Some bands take a few listens to warm up to their sound, and some bands blow you away within five seconds of hitting “play”. Make no mistake, Diamonds To Dust are the later of those two descriptors. Their new single “Corpus Christi” blends elements of deathcore, progressive metal, and Christian metal for a blistering and bludgeoning mammoth of a song.
The song’s introduction will catch you off guard - a rumbling bass line from bassist Brandon Whitaker that shakes the listener to the very core. One half of the rhythm section is never complete without the other, and drummer Melvin Hogue does an immaculate job of holding down the fort behind the kit with chops and dynamics akin to the likes of Periphery’s Matt Halpern.
The guitars followed shortly thereafter with shredding sweeps and thick (THICC) chugs, and guitarists Brandon Zablocki (lead) and Barry Hogue (rhythm) mesh perfectly together. What truly sets this song apart from the rest of the deathcore scene is vocalist Christian Roche. This man is an insane vocalist, simply put. The only comparison fitting comparison that comes to mind is Ben Duerr of Shadow of Intent.
The video for “Corpus Christi” is just as captivating as the song itself, with professional visual presentation, editing, and plenty of visual effects to go around. While some music videos of a band playing through their song can get stale to the viewer, Diamonds To Dust don’t encounter this problem. Aesthetically pleasing lighting and an entertaining performance set this video apart and the stick tricks from Melvin Hogue certainly didn’t hurt.
Diamonds To Dust are a unique band - they bring a message of salvation in the Lord through music that’s seemingly the antithesis to the sound hope and positivity that Christian music normally brings. On top of the juxtaposition in their sound and message, they are signed to Manifest Records - a label founded by guitarist Barry Hogue. In the age of DIY bands quickly gaining success (looking at you, Spiritbox), Diamonds To Dust are following the trend nicely and well on their way to success.