JoeyDiabolic – Just Drive
JoeyDiabolic – Just Drive
Self-Released
Release Date: 25/08/23
Running Time: 42:07
Review by Laura Barnes
9/10
Recently, I came across a quote from English literary critic Cyril Connolly which made me think. The quote was this: “Better to write for yourself and have no public, than write for the public and have no self”. For the sake of this review, I am choosing to ignore the fact that this quote is probably, like most famous sayings floating round the internet, incorrect and/or misquoted, and instead focus on the fact that these words of wisdom apply to quite a lot of the bands that pass through the Ever Metal roster. For every band that writes an album in the hope of striking it big and surpassing Metallica, there’s about five others that will write an album as a way to say, I was here on this earth, and this is what it felt like to me. JoeyDiabolic is firmly in the second category.
“Just Drive” was inspired by a nine day road trip, a time of great reflection for Mr. Diabolic. After a good few years of being immersed in the gothic/industrial scene, this journey inspired him to flex his musical muscles and try for something different – something happier. As a result, “Just Drive” makes for a thoughtful, optimistic listen. It isn’t a fist-pumping, anthemic kind of positivity however, but rather something more private and complex. A quiet euphoria, a lonely feeling of peace – that’s what this album sounds like. ‘Day of Rest’ encapsulates this feeling perfectly, instrumentals and electronic elements whirling around a steady bass heartbeat. Later, the title track ‘Just Drive (Sunset Skies)’ evokes similar feelings, a 5 minute anthem of hope.
Of course, you can take a boy out of the industrial scene, but you can’t take the industrial scene out of the boy. ‘Big Empty Home’ is a sinister and robotic kaiju of a song, with a stomping groove reminiscent of early KoRn. ‘Lost In You’ also has a glossy metallic edge to it, cleverly contrasting sunny instrumentals with zombie-like vocals.
‘Unrestricted’ is another adjective that comes to mind when thinking about this album. There isn’t exactly a united sound here, and with short tracks that flow into one another “Just Drive” resembles the wandering nature of human thought. ‘Westward’ assembles a cinematic bluesy soundscape before drifting into the intriguing pianos of ‘Breathless Mahoney’ that make you feel like you’re in a Victorian murder mystery. These were two highlights of the album for me, so much so that I would have liked to see this sound developed on future releases. ‘Sultry Eyes’ marks another high point of the album, with Joey doing his best undead Elvis impression while revelling in sheer musical creativity.
Perhaps the biggest flaw of this album lies in its uniqueness – will “Just Drive” find its audience? Finding its way to the right people may pose a challenge, but when it does, it is sure to make a hell of an impact. This album is art in the purest sense, an honest and complete reflection of the artist’s soul. Excellent, excellent, excellent.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Calm The Mind (Silence)
02. Big Empty Home
03. A Gentle Wind
04. Go As You Are
05. Mellow Vibes
06. Day of Rest (Scarlett)
07. Westward
08. Breathless Mahoney
09. Sultry Eyes
10. Morphine Dreams
11. Jazzmin
12. Lost In You
13. I Want Your Sext
14. Just Drive (Sunset Skies)
15. Ambience in the Stars
LINE-UP:
JoeyDiabolic – Everything
LINKS:
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