As autumn falls across the northern hemisphere, many start to turn their minds to Halloween, a ghoulish tradition that never fails to beguile. And what other release date besides All Hallows Eve would do for the unleashing of the bewitching debut of the diabolical DEVILMENT? Started in 2011 by guitarist Daniel Finch, and starring the notorious Dani Filth from CRADLE OF FILTH, no-one is really sure what to expect of this band, despite the fact that the recent release of "Mother Kali" has whet several palettes, and has given curious fans an inkling of what to anticipate.

Starting off with a gentle guitar melody that swells into a melancholic yet stunning lead guitar section, "Summer Arteries" slowly ease the listener in, washing away all woes. This soon gives way to a very electronic tinged blitzkrieg that drags you under. Dani's distinctive vocals are immediately recognisable, albeit sticking to more guttural growls than the caterwauling screeches he is more commonly known for. This song is fresh and cheeky, quite probably breaking any preconceptions fans might hold. In comparison to this, "The Stake in My Heart" is a whirling onslaught that has a vague DEVILDRIVER melody to it in certain sections. Positively oozing undeniable groove-laden charm, this track insinuated its way into my mind, becoming perhaps one of my favourite tracks on the album. This takes a rapid about-turn, with the title of the following track "Living With The Fungus" reminding me of a sexually transmitted disease, and (at the cost of making this analogy worse) is about as infectious as one to boot. Nevertheless, this is soon forgotten as the oriental feel adopted in "Mother Kali" captivates, adding a whole unique flavour to the overall album, making it another highlight of "The Great and Secret Show" whilst paying tribute to the Hindu goddess. Whittled down from 15 tracks to just the 11 that are on "The Great and Secret Show", you can tell that this album stems from a wide range of music tastes. Some moments of almost ROB ZOMBIE-esque Hard Rock shine through, whilst in other Bluesy-type guitars take the fore, and in other sections Industrial undertows spice things up. The penultimate song "Laudanum Skull" has melodic parts that remind me of earlier DEATHSTARS, although shaded with a much heavier sound.

Amalgamating elements of horror tinged heaviness countered by soft keyboard melodies and female backing vocals DEVILMENT does have much in common with CRADLE OF FILTH in many aspects, but it does also have its differences: the lyrical theme in CRADLE OF FILTH's songs is more poetic and elaborate, the sound is thicker thanks to more layered work, and the overall feel has a gothic-tinge to it. With DEVILMENT on the other hand, the instrumental sections have been taken down a notch, allowing Dani's voice to take centre stage for much of the album. Indeed, some people may even go as far as to say that this album is Dani-centric side project, with a few other instruments thrown in to give his voice some backing. However, this would be an unfair assessment: whilst Dani's inclusion in this project has unequivocally boosted its fame, the skill and musical know-how of each of the other musicians is utterly indisputable.

In short, this is a fun, catchy, and release; it was not at all what I imagined it would be, although truth be told, I didn't quite know what to expect anyway. However, if CRADLE OF FILTH's music is a bit too tame for you, this is perhaps one beast best left alone. On the other hand, if you like to kick back with something new.<