By: Anders

Posted: Jul 25, 2005

I was kinda surprised after my first listen to this album. Let it be no surprise that this is my first meet with Devildriver's music. Due to what have been written about the band's debut album "Devil Driver", and the band being fronted by Dez Fafara, of the now disbanded Coal Chamber fame. My well known prejudice against everything with a small scent of nu-metal, was working very effectively. Though with this new album dumping in my door, I didn't have many choices, but to drop the CD in the player and push play.

The music is aggressive and driven by heavy and raw riffs. The music can't really be categorized; there are many elements in the music. The base of the music is made upon groovy modern thrash with some hardcore elements in it, often topped off with melodic leads. Not the Swedish type too nice sounding leads, heavier and catchy, great hooks indeed. Though the leads in 'The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand', does smell a bit Swedish. Many elements in the music can be led back to Pantera and some to Superjoint Ritual. Musically, composition-wise and vocal-wise there are resemblances. Looking at Dez nowadays, he might be an aspiring man, to take over Phil Anselmo's badass role within a few years.

He is indeed a furious man nowadays. He is spitting his way through the lyrics, half screaming, half growling. It is a pretty good vocal performance. The compositions on the album are pretty good as well. Furious as the vocals and building a good base for it. There are many hooks and almost every song catches on to the listener pretty fast. There are some good work from the guitars here and there and some hard hitting riffs. The drumming is pretty damn good, the drummer John Boecklin has some nice moves, some killer beats and even better fills. He is a sure win for the band.

This is not the usual metal album, it is a part of the new wave of American metal bands, that's for sure. If you like you music driven by anger, modern thrash with a hardcore attitude and harsh vocals, this should be the deal for you. Fans of the more southern-style oriented Pantera tracks and Superjoint Ritual should be able to get hooked by this as well. There should be a great future ahead of Devildriver, that's for sure. Though a bit more worked through material, and not as many filler-parts, as on this album would help a bit. There some tracks who disappears into oblivion, when they are done playing. Though this album is not bad at all. Check out tracks as 'End Of The Line', 'Grinfucked','Hold Back The Day' and 'Before The Hangman’s Noose', even though Dez delivers a bit of not so good rapping in the latter, but it's a good track with some good rehashed mid-tempo thrashing and a good atmosphere.

Rating: 7,5/10

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