Here at the Send Me Your Ears studio today, we’ve been listening to Thrillkiller’s cover of Michael Jackson’s, Dirty Diana.
Thrillkillers are Rob Bradley; Vocals, Sebastian Ochoa; Guitars, Robbie Whiplash; Drums, Daniel Webb; Bass.
Don’t be fooled that the band have recorded a cover. We’ve just spent the last half an hour or so checking out their other music on Spotify. This is a high-quality original rock band.
Thrillkiller’s Dirty Diana is a faithful representation of the original. It takes a very brave artist to take on a Michael Jackson song and we were excited to notice that the song is in the same key as the original. We’d expect most male vocalists to want to take the song down a semi-tone or three!
The vocal in this track is exceptional. The quality here is world-class and we don’t say that lightly. Rob Bradley on vocals performs an effortless-sounding rendition of the track with some superb techniques with power and presence in the high notes that most male vocalists can only dream of. We were on the edge of our seats sometimes, knowing the original song very well, wondering whether Bradley was going to hit the high note we all knew was coming. Did he ever?! This is a truly awe-inspiring and astonishing performance that has made our day. There were visible goosebumps among the team.
The electric guitar solo matches the skill of the original, with a great tone and a solo that fits perfectly. This is clearly a skilled player who didn’t feel the need to shred. The solo is well-built, well-structured and smooth, ending on a high note that sits perfectly alongside the riffed vocal lines.
Dirty Diana displays Thrillkiller’s highly skilled musicianship to perfection. It’s often a good idea for an originals band to put out a great cover to bring in some new fans and we have no doubt that this will pay off for the band.
The mix on this track is superb: clear and bright with nothing dominating and nothing overshadowed. We have nothing but praise for every aspect of this song.
Final thoughts
A brave but wisely chosen cover, Thrillkiller’s, Dirty Diana is an astonishing tribute to an incredible artist. We hope to hear much more of Thrillkiller’s original music and thank them for this exhilarating introduction to their abilities.