Review L.A. GUNS ‘Black Diamonds’

L.A. Guns, the line-up with Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis, have finished work on the successor of the 2021 release ‘Checkered Past’. The newest effort is called ‘Black Diamonds’ and what the album contains are shining hard rock songs with a sleaze rock note.

As with the latest records also the new longplayer showcases a band that is still on fire. L.A. Guns stand for very well-crafted hard rock and listening to the rolling opener ‘You Betray’ is a treat. The song is fueled by the power of rock and is equipped with a murderous groove. It is immediately obvious that veterans are at work here. Professional and at the same time very dynamic, that is what ‘Black Diamonds’ reflects.

The groove is maintained on the following ‘Wrong About You’ before ‘Diamonds’ unfolds the width of sounds. Starting calm and soulful, the song evolves to another rocking tune that shines as bright as a diamond.

In contrary to such an epic song stands ‘Lowlife’. In less than three minutes L.A. Guns unleash the beast of rock’n’roll. The song is a dirty and uptempo rocker with a dirt-under-the-fingernails approach. In general, one must state that ‘Black Diamonds’ is a raw and unpolished album. Equipped with a good sound the quintet wrote and recorded songs that are bursting with strength.

A good thing with this longplayer is, that L.A. Guns mix calmer and rocking tones in various songs. There aren’t solely the soft and heavy songs. Tracks like ‘Gonna Lose’ combine the gentle notes in the verse a with heavy riff assault in the chorus. This gives the album an excellent flow. In combination with catchy energy boosters like ‘Got It Wrong’, Guns, Lewis and band mates created an entertaining longplayer that mirrors the enthusiasm for rock music.

‘Black Diamonds’ is a well-done hard rock album that provides a good time. Although being entitled ‘Black Diamonds’ these songs shimmer brightly. This album really rocks.