Diet Pills – S/T – LP 2011

Diet Pills - S/T - LP 2011On a day in May there came a dark cloud of despair, a hot smouldering piece of vinyl, born from a unique compositional perspective, torn from the deeply entrenched body bag ditches of Leicestershire, sworn from an oath that was bathed in blood, came this colossus, this masterpiece from which all contemporary sludge bands should take a leaf…

An ode, a tale, a legend… if these things were distilled, confined, dug into the soil, left to rot and then excavated from the tomb centuries later and were then analysed, the experts would extrapolate the circumstance, the context if you will, about the people who made this music. So tortured, bereft of positive human endeavour is this record, one is left with a need to meditate within the dark cells of solitude they must surely have inhabited, for only through this solitude can we find an explanation on how four people were able to produce music which captures the nihilistic age we live in.

As many will know Diet Pills have been around for a while now, carving their squeal piggy squeal on the chests of all who have seen them live. Garry’s vocals maybe what some might describe as a type of marmite vocal style, yet I can’t imagine Diet Pills having any other kind of vocalist. It perfectly ties the sonic violence unleashed on the album into a heavy anvil. Moreover, I would certainly challenge people to find an album with a better production. Savouring the delight by letting the recording foment for a year between recording and eventual release may have had something to do with the production. Billy Anderson’s hand may also have contributed towards the heaviness embodied on this record. But I don’t think so, because this sounds so heavy, giving you, in the process, a sonically induced prolapse, I surmise their heaviness must have come from their source sounds. It may indeed have entered Billy’s hallowed production temple, but Duane’s guitar sits so perfectly over Tanya’s low end blow your balls to the wind bass tone, while James’s drumming contorts, flows and binds the beast to the gallows with such superb excellence giving the space for Garry to vocalise an embodied torment, I imagine this is how it sounded when they recorded their album in 2010.

Another strength worth highlighting are the unique compositions, where time changes are a force to be reckoned with, strung out riffs are hammered into place by the quick fire frenetic counter riffage supplied by Duane. It all works so perfectly, illustrating an indelible skill for considered song writing, so much so that this album has shoe horned itself into my top three releases for 2011. Highlights, with every song having its special moments, are Pumpkin’ Magic and AMD. But don’t take my word for it, go out, search, discover, and then embrace the full majesty of this release, the crown of the realm, emblem of perfection, brilliant musicianship, a brilliant band, and an awesome release. Now where are those Diet Pills because I want what they have… Blistering power!!!

Label: Force Fed Records
Website: www.dietpillsband.co.uk

Scribed by: Pete Hamilton-Giles