Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole

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Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole
Cover art of the album
Studio album by
Diablo Swing Orchestra
ReleasedNovember 2, 2021
GenreAvant-garde metal,[1][2] progressive metal[3]
Length60:47
LabelCandlelight
ProducerRoberto Laghi
Diablo Swing Orchestra chronology
Pacifisticuffs
(2017) 		Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole
(2021)
Singles from Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole
  1. "War Painted Valentine"
    Released: 13 August 2021[4]
  2. "Celebremos lo Inevitable"
    Released: 23 September 2021[5]
  3. "Speed Dating an Arsonist"
    Released: 22 October 2021[6]

Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole is the fifth studio album by Swedish avant-garde metal band Diablo Swing Orchestra. It was released on 2 November 2021 via Candlelight Records and it was once again produced by Roberto Laghi.[6][4] It is the band's first album to feature the same line-up as its predecessor.

"War Painted Valentine" was released as the album's first single on August 17, 2021; the second single and video, "Celebremos lo Inevitable", their first song entirely sung in Spanish, paying homage to the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos, was released on September 23, 2021.[4][7][5] On October 22, 2021, they released the third single and video, "Speed Dating an Arsonist".[6]

The album was acclaimed by critics for its uniqueness, blend of genres, and songwriting.

Background and production[]

On 3 August 2019, the band shared that they had started working on their fifth studio album on their Facebook page, stating "12 songs in various stages of completion so far. Hoping to start recordings during the summer of 2020."[8]

On 21 February 2020, the band stated that recording for the new album would start on 4 May in Gothenburg.[9] Two days later, they announced the title.[10] Recording for the album concluded on 29 August with the recording of the Hammond organ parts.[11]

By late October 2020, the band already had the title, but not the release date nor a label for the album.[7] The track listing was revealed in December of that year, when the band expected to have the album released by the first quarter of 2021.[12] Following COVID-19 related setbacks, they stated in April 2021 that mastering was the only part of the album left to complete, and that they were hoping for a release the same year.[13] On 15 June 2021, the band announced that the first single from the album would be released in August and the second in October, with the album itself set for a November release.[14]

Critical reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Angry Metal Guy4.5/5.0[1]
Metal Hammer[15]
Sonic Perspectives9.1/10[2]

Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole was acclaimed by critics. Angry Metal Guy praised the album's production (having criticized that of the previous album Pacifisticuffs) and blend of genres and influences, ultimately stating that the band is "simply too ambitious, too creative, and too talented for me to capture what makes them special. Every time you think you have a handle on this album, it finds a new way to surprise, a new idea to pull, a new style to try." He called the album "confident, ambitious, and effortlessly fun."[1]

Dom Lawson, at Metal Hammer, called the album "the perfect antidote to greyness and drudgery", "exuberant to the point of insanity" and "quite unlike anything else you will hear this year". He saw it as an evolution from Pacifisticuffs, with more emphasis on "killer hooks" and "more weirdness at every unexpected turn".[15]

Brian Masson from Sonic Perspectives said that the album is "so vastly rich in nuances" and that it promotes "an ambitious journey that promises to blur the very existence of musical genres and their rules". He also pointed that "it does not matter how many times someone has listened to it; the listener will keep finding elements previously unnoticed." He finished his analysis calling it "a chaotic, innovative and daring experience" and "a triumph of the band's artistic will and constant risk-taking".[2]

It was elected by PopMatters as the 4th best progressive metal album of 2021.[3]

Track listing[]

Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Sightseeing in the Apocalypse"2:14
2."War Painted Valentine"4:01
3."Celebremos lo Inevitable" (Let Us Celebrate the Inevitable)4:54
4."Speed Dating an Arsonist"5:30
5."Jig of the Century"4:32
6."The Sound of an Unconditional Surrender"5:31
7."Malign Monologues"5:00
8."Out Came the Hummingbirds"4:21
9."Snake Oil Baptism"4:40
10."Les Invulnérables" (The Invulnerables)6:02
11."Saluting the Reckoning"4:52
12."The Prima Donna Gauntlet"5:05
13."Overture to a Ceasefire"4:05
Total length:60:47

Personnel[]

Diablo Swing Orchestra

  • Kristin Evegård – lead vocals, piano
  • Daniel Håkansson – lead vocals, guitars
  • Pontus Mantefors – guitars, synthesizer, FX
  • Anders Johansson – bass
  • Johannes Bergion – cello, backing vocals
  • Martin Isaksson – trumpet, backing vocals
  • Daniel Hedin – trombone, backing vocals
  • Johan Norbäck – drums, percussion, backing vocals

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Diablo Swing Orchestra – Swagger & Stroll Down the Rabbit Hole Review". Angry Metal Guy. 4 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Masso, Brian (1 November 2021). "Diablo Swing Orchestra – Swagger & Stroll Down The Rabbit Hole (Album Review)". Sonic Perspectives. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b Jordan, Blum; Spiess, Andrew (30 November 2021). "The 10 Best Progressive Rock/Metal Albums of 2021". PopMatters. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA Release Official Video For New Single "War Painted Valentine"". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  5. ^ a b Tapia, byJorge Figueroa (23 September 2021). "Diablo Swing Orchestra debuta canción en honor al Día de Muertos". Summa Inferno (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Bauer, Simon (22 October 2021). "DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA - 'Speed Dating An Arsonist'-Musikvideo veröffentlicht". Rock Hard (in German). Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  7. ^ a b Michel (29 October 2020). "Diablo Swing Orchestra schwingen bald wieder die Keulen". Metal.de. Hi-Media S.A. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Working on album no. 5..." Diablo Swing Orchestra's Facebook. August 3, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  9. ^ "We have a date!". Diablo Swing Orchestra's Facebook. February 21, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  10. ^ "And the title for album no.5 is..." Diablo Swing Orchestra's Facebook. February 23, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  11. ^ "Last day of recording. Hammond time!". Diablo Swing Orchestra's Facebook. August 29, 2020. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  12. ^ "DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA Reveal New Album Swagger & Stroll Down The Rabbit Hole Tracklist". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  13. ^ "DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA COMPLETING WORK ON NEW ALBUM FOLLOWING DELAYS - "WE JUST HAVE TO GET IT MASTERED"". BraveWords. April 6, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  14. ^ "Diablo Swing Orchestra on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-06-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ a b Lawson, Dom (2 November 2021). "Diablo Swing Orchestra's bizarre, brilliant Swagger And Stroll Down The Rabbit Hole". Metal Hammer. Future plc. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
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