Groove-metalers DevilDriver are busting out albums as if the decibels are curing chronic illness.
Well it may in fact be ideal if this was the case because the Californians’ latest release Winter Kills gives metal heads an hour of blistering chaos filled with double-drum kicks and technical riffs, not to forget the ground-crushing gruff roar from vocalist Dez Fafara.
Tracks like ‘Ruthless’ and ‘Desperate Times’ define the band’s genre with the grooviest riffs which are accentuated before ceasing. This creates a hugely melodic sound yet coupled with the carnage brought by the instrumental anaesthetic. The chorus for ‘Desperate Times’ is steered by Fafara who retains the song’s structure with brusque melody.
The title track’s instrumental could power solar panels with the energy and electricity being generated. DevilDriver prove they are still a riff machine as Fafara once again shapes the direction of this metallic beast.
The band released a music video for ‘The Appetite’ which in summary follows a day in the life of a head banging young adult devouring all the booze and metal he can find. It matches the song itself perfectly which is motivational and endorses the masculinity of both DevilDriver and heavy metal.
One of the highlight tracks on Winter Kills sits towards the end of the album in disguise. ‘Sail’ mysteriously perpetuates between tightly held riffs to a slow lyrical delivery by Fafara. The song is somewhat cathartic yet still heavy as hell and showcasing their brutality simultaneously.
Once again, DevilDriver have delivered a metallic masterpiece for existing fans and maybe recruited some younger admirers too.
