Recent Reviews

November 2024

October 2024

September 2024

August 2024

[ More Music Reviews ]


Enuff Znuff: Diamond Boy
Enuff Znuff - Diamond Boy Music Review

Enuff Znuff: Diamond Boy

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR
4.0/5.0

Website Facebook Twitter YouTube
Frontiers Music
Released: 10.08.2018
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 08.08.2018

Perhaps one the most consistent, yet underrated, bands of the last 25 years, Enuff Znuff returns with their fourteenth album, Diamond Boy, once more for Italy's Frontiers Music. The album finds founder Chip Znuff firmly planted by behind the microphone, but also with some new personnel to back him up including Tory Stoffregen on guitar and Dan Hill on drums.

Enuff Znuff Band Photo Click For Larger Image

Enuff Znuff

Mostly, Diamond Boy is everything you would expect from Enuff Znuff. The band still offers melodic hard rock in a wrapper of power pop and AOR accessibility. Also consistent is the EZ "wall of sound" provided by the slightly distorted twin guitar harmony, Chris Znuff's smooth vocals, and the associated background vocal harmony. Notable in that scenario is that Znuff continues to be the lead vocalist; Michael Vie is effectively out of the picture. After these things, the EZ expands each song with elements both familiar and simple: infectious beat and rock groove from the rhythm section, catchy refrains, and well-placed feisty guitar solos. If anything Chris Znuff and company are historically consistent. Seems to be a theme running here.

That in one some sense lends to some musical redundancy where all songs sound the same and blur together. Alternatively, there are contrasts, mostly between hard rock heaviness and AOR power pop smoothness. For the former, there's rich rockers like Faith, Hope, and Luv, Where Did You Go, Dopesick, and possibly Metalheart. For that last song, with the title, I was expecting, well, something akin to heavy metal. But the song, even with the thick riffs, turns more upon a power pop big beat than a heavy metal motif. For the latter, Enuff Znuff settles down and smoothes out with Down On Luck, Love Is One The Line, and Imaginary Man.

In the end, Diamond Boy probably deserves more than a spin for full appreciation. But, all in all, the album is another strong set of Enuff Znuff's signature rock n roll sound. If you like it, get the album.



CraigHartranft.net - New fiction, crime fiction by Craig Hartranft

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

The Bottom Line

Diamond Boy probably deserves more than a spin for full appreciation. But, all in all, the album is another strong set of Enuff Znuff's signature rock n roll sound. If you like it, get the album.

Find A Review

Alphabetical Index

a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s t
u v w x y z #
New & Notable
Read the Lionville: Supernatural Album Review

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]