"The third album from French quartet Dimi Dero Inc is an ugly, cantankerous creature. If music has charms to sooth the savage beat, this is the sound of someone taking a washed-out, dull-eyed bull by the horns and planting a big knife squarely between its sagging shoulder blades. There are no half measures on "Cremation Day". It's a dirty, grinding bag of songs and an engrossing trip down the funeral chapel conveyor belt and into the rock furnace. Few introductions should be needed. DDI is on its third Australian tour in October 2010 and two of them like it here so much that they're doing more dates, backing Penny Ikinger. That's an admirable work ethic by any stretch. Dimi Dero Inc also collectively knocks around with the likes of The Drones, the New Christs, Beasts of Bourbon and Tex Perkins. With friends like those, etc. etc. but there's a common characteristic shared by all - intensity - and this is a key point on "Cremation". Dimi Dero (the person) is the smouldering frontman, the singer and guitarist with a burning desire to be an Australian. Well, dream on, mate! No, I'm joking. Dimi is one talented multi-instrumental motherfucker and a nice guy to boot whose cunning master plan to make his band more known around the world than Nicolas Sarkozy might just come off. Most of the time when you listen to this album, you'll be hanging off his words. DDI's bass player is Vinz Guilluy; he wears his left-handed instrument slung around his ankles to summon up fluid, thunderous bass-lines. He doubles up in the great Holy Curse and he and Sophie throw a great party. Guitarist Jean-Luc Barranco's thick, distorted chord work provides tuned-down riffage that's a focal point for most of the songs, and delivers a fine vocal on "Little Big Baby". Drummer Pascal Manganaro (an ex-Holy Curser) drags and pushes the rhythms around like he's toting a body bag to the morgue, but there's also a deft skill in his work and his neatly-placed, Billy Ficca-styled accents colour the songs. Some people are going to make a big deal about Rob Younger being the producer - and they should because he has brought a sharper focus to DDI. The mix is full yet translucent with globs of fuzz ("Unfair Enough".) Sure, these guys have cocked an ear to Rowland S. Howard and the arty end of Oz Rock (the Birthday Party crew), but there's a distinct New Christs rock feel to "Bored" and "Recipe For Happiness." You can pick up on the St Kilda affectations, but I maintain that the "Sour Milk" Beasts and second phase Scientists are the real progenitors. There's still ample angst among the guitars and although the prevailing dress code is black, DDI let their sense of humour show right through on songs like "The Dentist" and "My Pals". So don't be too busy slashing your wrists to miss it. Things aren't that grim. DDI even shows a hard pop side on "Sinner Saint" and "Euterpe". I've grown to like each DDI release more than the one before. I'm fairly sure you will too."

(i94bar.com)