Brisbane based blues act Transvaal Diamond Syndicate grab us by the throat and don’t let go with their new album Sins of the Blessed.
It opens with the explosive “Devil on my Shoulder,” a foot stomping opening gem driven by its big slide guitar, and never really takes its foot from the throttle. The following track “I’m Your Ticket” is similarly compelling with its snarling sexiness. The third song “Blackwater” shows a different, softer side of the band. While its gentle groove takes things down a notch, it’s every bit as powerful as the high energy numbers that came before. It gives the album some real balance, allowing us a moment to catch our breath. More great numbers followed it, particularly the Charlie Daniels-esque “Pistols at Dawn” and the closing number “Cold-Hearted Killer.” This upbeat number with its throbbing bass line has a sinister underbelly which is so delicious.
At just seven tracks Sins of the Blessed is very short for an album. It’s too long for an EP, but very brief by modern album standards. However I think Transvaal Diamond Syndicate has done the right thing here. By choosing fewer tracks of real quality the Brisbane act has avoided the dreaded fillers that plague so many recordings. What’s included is swampy, gutsy, down and dirty, with a much bigger, ballsier sound than you’d expect a two-piece to deliver.