Pandora's Piñata

Pandora's Piñata is the third studio album by Swedish avant-garde metal band Diablo Swing Orchestra. It was released on May 14, 2012, in Europe by Candlelight Records and on May 22, 2012, in North America by Sensory Records.[8]

Pandora's Piñata
Studio album by
Diablo Swing Orchestra
ReleasedMay 14, 2012 (Europe)
May 22, 2012 (North America)
Genre
Length51:46
LabelCandlelight Records
ProducerRoberto Laghi
Diablo Swing Orchestra chronology
Sing Along Songs for the Damned & Delirious
(2009)		 Pandora's Piñata
(2012)		 Pacifisticuffs
(2017)

It is the last album with the singer AnnLouice Lögdlund and the only album with Petter Karlsson on drums; he left the band earlier that year, after recording his parts. It is also the first album with the trombonist Daniel Hedin and the trumpeter Martin Isaksson as full-time members, with Pandora's Piñata being the first album with the band being an octet.

The band's first single, "Voodoo Mon Amour", was released before the album. An official video for "Black Box Messiah" was also released. All songs are credited to Diablo Swing Orchestra.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[1]
Allmusic[6]
Dangerdog[2]
Heavy Blog... Is Heavy[9]
Lords of Metal[10]
Metal Blast[3]
Metal Underground[7]
Rock n Reel Reviews[4]
Sputnikmusic[5]

Pandora's Piñata was acclaimed by critics. Sputnikmusic gave the album a "superb" rating of 4.5 out of 5 (same as the two previous albums), calling it "A sprawling tour de force that moves seamlessly between metallic technicality and full-throttle symphonic grandeur".[5] Heavy Blog... Is Heavy gave Pandora's Pinata the maximum rating, praising "the variation that this album provides" and stating, "No track sounds the same, because each track shows off a different side of DSO."[9]

About.com called it "Wickedly catchy, breathtakingly original and downright good clean".[1] Dangerdog wrote, "Pandora's Pinata is immensely creative and devastatingly entertaining," and gave the album a 5 out of 5.[2]

On a less positive review, Metal Underground thought that the band "Continues their off-beat avant-garde metal style, fantastic female vocals, oozes creativity", but criticized the "Lack of prominent male/female vocal interplay, not as heavy or catchy as their last album". The reviewer the album a rating of 3.5 out of 5, writing, "Slightly less compelling than their previous albums, but still a rousing interpretation of avant-garde metal."[7]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Diablo Swing Orchestra

No.TitleLength
1."Voodoo Mon Amour"4:31
2."Guerrilla Laments"4:55
3."Kevlar Sweethearts"4:24
4."How to Organize a Lynch Mob"0:53
5."Black Box Messiah"2:57
6."Exit Strategy of a Wrecking Ball"6:01
7."Aurora"5:05
8."Mass Rapture"6:03
9."Honey Trap Aftermath"4:15
10."Of Kali ma Calibre"4:25
11."Justice for Saint Mary"8:17

Personnel

Band members
Teaser image of the album

Session musicians
  • Diana Lewtak – violin
  • Erika Risinger – violin, viola
  • Emilia Wareborn – viola
  • Michael Carlqvist – double bass
  • Elisabeth Jansson – horns
  • Wictor Lind – timpani, percussion
  • Anna Melander – flute
  • Oskar Reuter – mandolin
  • Lucy Rugman – clarinet
  • Ekaterina Skidanova – oboe

Production

References
  1. Raymond Westland. "Diablo Swing Orchestra - Pandora's Pinata Review". About.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  2. Craig Hartranft (April 30, 2012). "Diablo Swing Orchestra: Pandora's Pinata". Dangerdog. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  3. J Salmeron (May 14, 2012). "Diablo Swing Orchestra – Pandora's Piñata". Metal Blast. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  4. "Diablo Swing Orchestra – Pandora's Piñata". Rock n Reel Reviews. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  5. greg84 (May 25, 2012). "Diablo Swing Orchestra Pandora's Pinata". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  6. Monger, James Christopher. "Pandora's Pinata review". Allmusic. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  7. heavytothebone2 (May 29, 2012). "Diablo Swing Orchestra - "Pandora's Piñata" (CD)". Metal Underground. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  8. "Diablo Swing Orchestra announces new album "Pandora's Piñata" North American release". Metal Underground. April 25, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  9. "Diablo Swing Orchestra – Pandora's Piñata". Heavy Blog... Is Heavy. June 15, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  10. "Diablo Swing Orchestra - Pandora's Pinata" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2021.


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