Dizmas - Tension

Reviewed by Rob Andrews

This second Credential Recordings release for the Southern Californian band, headed by Zach Zegan, is an edgy, hard rock treat. The band have been together for almost a decade having formed at high school, and derive their name from what some scholars believe to be the name of the "good thief" that Christ encountered at his crucifixion. (Bible lesson over!) From the punchy opener of "Jealousy Hurts" through to the quieter, more reflective ending of "Sun", this grabbed me right from the first listen. There is originality in their music and lyrical style and sound. The nearest I can pin them to, in parts, is the Chilli Peppers/Foo Fighters (have a listen to "See Daylight"), but they say they also draw their influences from Led Zeppelin, The Who and Rage Against The Machine. You can taste all of these ingredients in the mix that ends up as this exciting collection. Encountering radio play success in the US with the likes of "Play It Safe" and "Shake It Off", this is just the sort of band that we could do with seeing in the UK.