Interviews About Albums: Black Opal - Divine Accusations (2024)

In this new interview, we sat down with the Northern Ireland Rock band Black Opal to ask questions about their album, "Divine Accusations".

1. What can you say about this album?

It is primarily a kind of “riff - rock”. All the tunes begin with or grow out of a riff on guitar. The songwriting is based on this concept.

2. What is the meaning of the album name?

I was flicking between radio stations and the last word spoken from the first was “ Divine” and the first word from the second was “accusations”. I just heard the two words one straight after the other and immediately thought “that would be a cool name for an album “

That was in 2011, and I just filed it away

3. Who is the composer?

That would be myself-Shane. I started writing when I was at school and been unable to stop since.

4. If you had to pick a song which one?

I’d have to say feel free. All of the other tracks were worked on over several years. I just woke up one morning and felt free in my inbox. I didn’t write it so much as download it. It took longer to type it down than it did to write it down. So I’d pick that one because it came like a gift.

5. Is there a special message in the album?

It is dedicated to the memory of my daughter Naoise Diamond. It is my way of honoring her memory.

6.A re there some lyrics you would like to share?

“No there’s nothing new to die for, history wields an aimless blade. Heads a rolling, locked and loaded the heart unbroken wants to be betrayed”

It’s trying to paint a picture of really abject nihilism which is shattered by the ending of the song.

7. What inspirations were important for the album?

I like anything pretty much with guitars …. I think of the sound being like a clash of mid-80s Metallica and the Smiths. Of delicacy and power.

8. Something to add?

My earliest childhood memory is listening to Master of Puppets on vinyl … aged 6 or 7

I remember hearing the riff at the beginning of Battery and I just lost my shit entirely. It was like I was possessed …. I ran round my friend's house for an hour, just non-stop. Shout out the words!

While I am not really a metalhead, Metallica will always have a place in my heart as it was at that moment I decided I wanted to learn guitar.