There’s never a better time to get yourself featured as a Headline Act as when you have a new release pending! Shane Diamond from Black Opal tell us about their forthcoming Diving Accusations LP, and some other stuff as well…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We are from Belfast. I have been playing guitar with Phil since I was a teenager…. Which is some time ago now!
How did you meet?
Dee and I met at university in 2002. In the same class studying Pharmacy. Interestingly enough, our parents were great friends from university days. We had known each other for a good five years before realising. The guy in the photo on my parents’ front room is actually Dee’s dad.
How long have you been playing as a band?
We started the band in 2018. I had been writing a lot of material, and demoing everything I had. Around this time Dee moved back to Ireland after a decade in England. The stars were moving into alignment!
We began rehearsing in an old mill in Belfast. After a bit of a lull in 2020/21 due to Covid, we kicked back into gear in late ’21 and recorded our album during 2023.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
After the Covid shutdown, we met up in one of the bars in Belfast. A night of tequila followed by Guinness led to the band name being born (a “black opal” is tequila with Guinness).
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
What are your influences?
The musical direction is guided by an enduring love for the great guitar bands really. Zeppelin/ Hendrix/ Nirvana… heavy, powerful sounding stuff preferably.
My first influences on guitar would have been through listening to John Squire. I always loved the guitar work, especially on the Second Coming album. This provided a link into a lot of 70s rock. The sound we have developed is hopefully a reflection of some of these influences.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
What we have tried to achieve is to strike a balance between the raw energy and power of the heavier sound, with a melodic / restrained dynamic. In writing the tunes I tend to focus on creating strong melody first and developing everything else around that. Usually a simple guitar riff starts the process, and most of the tracks are built from riffs.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
Lyrically the material is just my own reflection on things we all go through… love / loss / hope / resilience / individual vs society.
You have a new album, Divine Accusations, out on March 21st. Tell us about the lyrics on there.
“Abandon” plays with the idea of an individual represented as a tiny vessel among a colossal storm. Battered about but defiant. Struggling to maintain its sense of self and remain true to its course.
“Feel Free”, the single, is sort of a rant about social media distorting reality. People construct an alternate reality online and the algorithm feeds all sorts of falsehoods: “Truth’s just a plaything.”
“Oddly Enough” – I came up with this track one morning. On waking up I found that I had the whole thing in my head. It took longer to write it down than to write it! This is so unusual for me, as the other tracks were developed slowly and methodically over several years.
The individual is told that they have freedom, but access only a tiny experience of the real brotherhood of all mankind. You are free to do anything you like, except to love one another.
The final track “History” is perhaps my favourite tune on there. It’s trying to shape your future, and not be burdened by history. How difficult it is to do this while remaining true to your self. As you let go of the past, you are liberated – but this comes at a cost. And so the wheel turns… eternally, like a river to the ocean.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
We have played a few shows here in Belfast, it’s early days for us! It has been great and feedback has been really positive. It is a real privilege to be able to play our material for people, and feel the connection to the audience grow.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
I have about 10 guitars , but my main one is a Fender Jazzmaster. Our producer Frankie took a disliking to it, telling me that it was for posers! On the album I mainly use a Les Paul. That will be my next guitar for sure!
What are your plans for the next 6 months or so?
Over the coming months we will be rehearsing, smashing the set out, and aiming to be back in the studio later this year to start recording more music.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
If you want to check out more new music, then fire up our Headline Act playlists on Spotify and YouTube!
Black Opal: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | youtube
