:: The Divine

Diplomat

This Adelaide four-piece have been kicking around on the scene since 1999, when they added Ben Ey, they’d previously been a three-piece known as Rash and played with the likes of Swervedriver. Their debut record “Welcome Departure” was recorded with Matt Maddock (Something for Kate, Screamfeeder, and Magic Dirt) at the helm and released in 2000 to critical acclaim. This was followed by the single release for “Forward Thinking” in 2001. 2002 saw the departure of Ben Ey and the solid addition of Adam Hollinshead (TommyGun) followed by a long period of writing for the new album and recording sessions with Jed Palmer (Bergerac). It resulted in 2003’s “The Divine and the Impure” EP - a release in which the band add a whole new dimension to their brutal guitar crazed sound and
striking rhythms. The opening track “You Smell Nice” boasts a very Trail of Dead sounds if ever I
did hear one. Nat’s drawling vocal emission sounds like a cross between Jason Reece and mid-nineties madmen “My Life With The Thrill Kill Cult”, with an intense guitar attack that brings to mind the likes of Fugazi and Sonic Youth - with intricate timings and spine tingling feedback. The whole EP is strong, but another stand out for me would have to be “Treasured Debris”, a slightly slower number to bring things down on. Nat’s husky vocals lingering with a Courtney Taylor-Taylor likeliness, tinny sounding drums and acoustic guitar, which leads into the feedback onslaught which never fully let’s go, leaving you with nothing but guitar fuzz and the distant sound of a clock ticking away to fill the room. This EP is a quiet blinder! Why haven’t people discovered these guys and give them dues they so rightfully deserve yet? Is Adelaide that far away from the rest of the Australian music industry? Come on, get out there and discover Diplomat if you haven’t already. This EP is a perfect starting point. “The Divine and The Impure” will go down a treat for fans of Archers of Loaf, SFK, Magic Dirt, Trail of Dead or Sonic Youth. Although this sound has been attempted by many, there’s something about the way Diplomat takes the best of what these bands have and mix into a fine cocktail of high-octane sonic guitar rock.