Diablo Swing Orchestra - No. 2

From the opening, something’s off about the Diablo Swing Orchestra. Oh, they swing all right…but they’re using metal riffs to do it. Metal riffs, alongside horns, operatic vocals, elements of tango and other music that does not usually include distortion pedals…all can be found on this sometimes-gimmicky, always-unusual sophomore release. If you want something totally different, you’re in luck – the songs, wacked-out as they are, are solid and for an album that incorporates so many disparate styles, it’s heavy enough. Some will no doubt find the entire exercise rather cheesy, though, especially when the male and female duet start breaking out the vaguely cabaret-style vocals. Goth-metal meets swing? Oh, those kooky Swedes…