DevilDriver // Strike And Kill // Album Review

Album number eleven from one of the mainstays of groove metal, DEVILDRIVER, is set for release on the 10th of July, and it does not disappoint.

Dez is back, giving it socks with a refreshed line-up of Alex Lee on lead guitar, Gabe Mangold on rhythm, Davier Perez on drums, and the return of founding member Jon Miller on bass, all combining to leave waste in your eardrums. Straight out of the blocks, “Dig Your Own Grave” smashes you right in the face with a brutal barrage of drums and guitars, with Dez roaring in was way through the track. The machine-gun drumming is stunning, and the bass line bangs big time, with both Lee and Mangold tearing it up. What an opening. “ Dead In the Water” continues the onslaught. After a calm opening, it goes off big time with a monster groove courtesy of Miller and Perez with their combo assault of bass and drums; the cutting riffs are as sharp as Dez’s vocals, all adding up to the familiar DevilDriver sound, with the cherry on top being Lee’s killer solo. The pulsating rhythm on “Sanctified In Scars” is hypnotic, grabbing hold of you and taking you on a groove-laden ride. Perez’s drumming is on point while Miller lays down a fat bass line that will rattle your teeth. Lee and Mangold trade off each other seamlessly; this one will stick in your head for a long time.

Title track “Strike And Kill” does what it says on the tin; this one is heavier, faster, unrelenting and unabashed metal at its best; Dez spits out lyrics with venom in his trademark gravelly voice as chaos ensues all around in the shape of savage riffs and a thunderous drum and bass beat. This is a crushing track that goes straight for the jugular. “In The Moonlight” throws a curve ball at the start with softly sung vocals from Dez before everything goes to hell in a hand basket as a spectacularly crushing drum beat and blistering riff come in over the top to drag you from the light into the darkness, Dez snarls and growls through this one to a backdrop of insanity, between the drum and bass smacking the head off you, the killer riffs and Lee’s shredding, the power and speed just blow your head off, a banger if ever there was. “Ride Or Die” is a beast of a track, driven by Perez’s merciless drumbeat that creates one hell of a groove. Miller’s thumping bass adds a nice heavy hit while Mangold and Lee tear it up with their riffing. Dez is at his devastating best on this one. “Headed For The Fall” keeps things on the heavy side but with a little industrial feel, Dez sounds scarily like Robb Flynn from Machine Head which is not a bad thing but it is the rhythm, created by Perez and Miller respectively, that is savage and when you combine it with the excellent guitar work from Mangold and Lee you have a balls out rager. Unlike the title track “Shut The Silence On” does not do what it says on the tin in fact it grabs you by the scruff of the neck and pummels you into submission with a brutal assault on the senses; quite how Perez still has arms and legs is beyond me as he goes into overdrive on this one, Mangold and Lee manage to keep pace with him and MIller weighs in with a monster bass line while Dez does what he does best, this is loud, aggressive and in your face, all you would expect from DevilDriver and more.

With no let up “Never Coming Home” continues the onslaught with a blistering track that will leave you breathless; from the unrelenting drums of Perez to Dez screaming and roaring throughout to the Spanish guitar solo, so random, to the brutal riffs is feels like someone just lit a fuse and sat back to watch this one go off. “Summoning Shadows” has Dez singing in a soft tone against an acoustic backdrop before it explodes as the band comes in full force and Dez reverts to type, a nice change of pace that allows the band to show their musical prowess. “You’re Just A Ghost” goes heavy, with a thumping drum beat and bass line, backed by Dez’s vocals, which he spits with vitriol. The cutting riffs that Mangold and Lee trade off on are some of the best on the album; there are hints of tech metal and melodic death, making it one of the most progressive tracks you’ll hear for a good while. “Oath Of Iron” is a full-on thrasher that sees the dynamo that is Perez lay a drum beat so intense you can literally feel the vibration in your ears; add to that Miller’s monster bass and Mangold and Lee keeping pace with Dez at his snarling best, and this one leads you on a merry moshing dance. The album closes with “All Bets Are Off”, a slower, heavier number that builds up to a crushing finale over the course of the track. If you were ever in doubt of how good this band actually is, this one alone will lay it to bed, an amazing way to close out one of their best pieces of work to date.

Forged in true DEVILDRIVER fashion, this leaves you begging for more.

Strike And Kill is out on the 10th of July, courtesy of Napalm Records. Do not miss it!

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Review: Conor

Strike And Kill Tracklisting:

Dig Your Own Grave
Dead In The Water
Sanctified In Scars
Strike And Kill
In The Moonlight
Ride Or Die
Headed For The Fall
Shut The Silence On
Never Coming Home
Summoning Shadows
You’re Just A Ghost
Oath Of Iron
All Bets Are Off

Strike And Kill will be available in the following formats:

1-CD Digipak
1-LP Gatefold Vinyl SOLID BLUE
1-LP Gatefold Vinyl TRANSLUCENT VERDE – Napalm Records Mailorder Exclusive
1-LP Gatefold Vinyl SPLATTERED (incl. LP-Sized Booklet 24 pages, Certificate, Covercard) – Napalm Records Mailorder Exclusive
1-LP Gatefold Vinyl WHITE LABEL (incl. LP-Sized Booklet 24 pages, Certificate) – Napalm Records Mailorder Exclusive
1-LP Gatefold Vinyl SOLID ORANGE – Indie Merch Exclusive
Digital Album