Intense, sensual and arcane, Diamond Black are a dark-rock quartet based in London. Founded by Ben Christo (guitarist of The Sisters of Mercy) and Finnish singer JI Turunen, Diamond Black give you crushing riffs, mesmerising electronica and cinematic choruses: a powerful fusion of irreverence, intrigue and isolation. Inspired by the heaviness of Katatonia, the torment of Korn, the passion of Depeche Mode, the haunting soundscapes of Type O Negative and the anthemic quality of The Cult, Diamond Black weave tangled tales of desire, decadence and devotion.
Finnish singer JI Turunen’s powerful vocals are delivered with a distinctly Scandinavian melancholy, while Christo’s unforgiving riffs and emotive lead-lines provide a dramatic backdrop. Add a thunderous, dynamic rhythm section, courtesy of drummer Jan-Vincent Velazco and bassist Adam Lightspeed and encase it all in the darkwave/electro-rock production of chart-topping Finnish visionary Jaani Peuhu (Lord of the Lost, Swallow the Sun) and the result is the explosive and evocative sound of Diamond Black.
Debut single ‘Sorrow’ premiered on Metaltalk.net in October 2017 to great acclaim: hailed and shared by members of Rob Zombie, rotated on Scuzz TV and featured in Bass Guitar Magazine. ‘Ghost in the Glass’ followed in 2018, winning public praise from The Mission and Therapy? and garnering near 140,000 Spotify plays.
In June 2019, Diamond Black signed a worldwide deal with the legendary Cargo/Livewire Records. Current single, ‘The Scarlet’ is the band’s first release with the label, revealing a more introspective side to Diamond Black whilst maintaining their signature haunting, heartfelt heaviness. The song boasts searing riffs, compulsive beats and mournful, memorable melody, with JI’s inimitable vocal transforming from ghostly whisper to venomous scream.
In the band’s words, “ ‘The Scarlet’ is a vampiric voyage into the dark heart of desire, decadence and desolation. We’ve really bared our souls here and we hope you’ll feel that in our passionate performance.”
