Diamonds and Rain is the third studio release, and second full-length studio album, from Christian alternative rock band the Choir, released in 1986. It is the first release under the band's new moniker after dropping "Youth" from their name. Background After Shades of Gray was released, Shadow Records folded, so Youth Choir once again found themselves without a record label. Around this time, Myrrh Records was looking to expand their roster of artists specifically in the rock genre, so record executive Tom Willett moved from Nashville to Los Angeles to establish MyrrhLA. With little success finding new artists during the first six months of the new imprint's existence, Willett was dragged by a local promoter to see a Youth Choir concert, and he found them to be "creatively inventive and musically prophetic." The band was signed to the new label in June of 1986, just after Youth Choir's third appearance at Cornerstone, and would be the first alternative rock act signed by Myrrh. However, Willett was concerned about the band's name, so he encouraged them to drop the "Youth" moniker to reflect the band's musical maturity, as well as the practical matter of the band's placement in record sales racks; lead singer and guitarist Derri Daugherty and drummer and lyricist Steve Hindalong agreed, as they had already been considering such a name change, so the band would record as "The Choir" from this point forward. Recording and production Even though Daugherty and Hindalong self-produced Shades of Gray with the assistance of Bill Batstone, they wanted to bring in an independent producer for this higher-profile release. Based upon his production of the 77's All Fall Down, as well as his work with Vector and his own solo work, Charlie Peacock was hired as producer. After the Choir returned to Packaderm Studios with Peacock in July and August of 1986 to begin recording, the band landed a spot at that summer's Greenbelt Festival, where they were joined on stage by Peacock to debut some of their new material, which would become "notable in the Christian market at that time for its use of subtlety and for its canvas of a broad range of issues." According to Chris Willman, writing for CCM Magazine, the lyrics of Diamonds and Rain explore "a wider variety of shades as it deals with the fear of God and the unhealthy fear of things that God has created."