The fact that Dez Fafara was the frontman of the Nu-Metal band COAL CHAMBER was in my way to get to know to DEVILDRIVER. But during my time in the US I got the chance to catch this act on-stage and have a nice talk to the band's axeman Mike Spreitzer. I was totally blown away by DEVILDRIVER 's live performance who treated the The Last Kind Words tracks with power and and energetic driven by the crowds raging respond. After the show had ended I got a strong hunch that this band would gain even more publicity and strength by the future releases. And man how right I was!
Pray For Villains is the band's fourth release and is by far the best one! I remember that Mike Spreitzer told that their music would be more guitar based following the Thrash way and now I see what he was talking about. The new album is an energy fueled Thrash locomotive that gains more speed and momentum by the solid sound production. The homonymous track opens the album leaving absolutely no space to breathe. The guitars steadily build the tension that literally explodes with Dez's deep scream followed by the hearty douple drum kick blowing the speakers away. The vocals follow DEVILDRIVER's recipe with 'overlapping' screams that give the impression that the singer is doing backing vocals to himself. As I said, the guitars have a major presence here hitting hard with MACHINE HEAD down tuned riffs and massive grooving melodies. What I really enjoyed here is the collection of some new ideas found here and there. The first example comes in Fate Stepped In; this track enters like a steam roller with intense drumming almost Metalcore rhythm section (I said almost ok?) and then comes an addictive break. Here the clean guitar with a killer effect introduces a neck wrecking groove while Dez screams his lungs out. I tell you it's impossible not to ruin your neck muscles with this one!
I won't get into a track-by-track commentary here because this review would count more than one thousands words and this would definitely bore you off! There is no doubt that DEVILDRIVER are in a top form following an ascending course. They have solidified their sound taking a bold step away from the Nu-Metal shadow that was unjustifiable hanging above them.
Not only the band has built the album on the guitars but has done an excellent work on the leads and solos. The hammer-ons and pull-offs really shine on I've Been Sober while add a haunting atmosphere in Bitter Pill that is here to help the band destroy their record on the biggest mosh-pit at the 'Wacken Open Air' festival in 2007. Add the shredding riff in the melodic and 100% addictive Resurrection Blvd. and the Seasons In The Abyss inspired (focus on the clean guitars) and you will understand my saying. Of course, music and lyrics go hand in hand with the music. Dez describes feelings of hatred, paying back while looking at the good side of everything with I See Belief, Pure Sincerity and Back With A Vengeance.
I am feeling that DEVILDRIVER is a powerful addition to the Metal scene and Pray For Villains is here to grand my words. I am also very happy that I will get one more chance to see them on-stage at the 'Graspop Festival' and hopefully bang my head against Another Night In London among others.