Devildriver are the kind of band you’d expect to stay busy knowing their trend to relentlessly tour and release albums, coming out with 2011′s Beast from really out of nowhere. It has now been two years with much touring and waiting for a new album to emerge.
Separating themselves from Roadrunner Records, whom they had been with since their self-titled debut, Devildriver now join forces with Napalm Records. Their new album Winter Kills is sure to another top release from the Californian metal band, but how does Ruthless – their new single, which can be listened to here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK_9Cpxa_GA – sound to my ears?
Beast, it must be said, wasn’t exactly a straight-forward Devildriver album. It was heavy. It was insanely heavy. But it felt like they were trying too hard at times. Ruthless is very simplistic musically. Beginning at first with tribal effects in the background, it soon kicks with the guitar riff and drums, whilst the bass thunders away in the background. Another thing to note is that Chris Towning, who has been a touring member for most of 2012, in February 2013 became an official member of Devildriver – I was about to ask: who’s on bass now?
It’s very groovy all the way, with what most people would describe as “groove metal” and then during the middle section it has a break, before kicking back in for the outro. It’s Devildriver in every sense, but it seems more refined – unlike trying too much, it’s just about right.
It’s the second track from Winter Kills, after the opener The Oath, and if this a sign of the album to be released then surely things look really good.
RATING: 4 / 5
Winter Kills is released August 27th via Napalm Records.
Pre-order here:
http://www.indiemerch.com/devildriver – bundles available here
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winter-Kills-DevilDriver/dp/B00D9PUX5A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374069191&sr=8-1&keywords=devildriver - normal edition, UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winter-Kills-DevilDriver/dp/B00D9PUXQY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1374069191&sr=8-3&keywords=devildriver - CD/DVD edition, UK
http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Kills-Devildriver/dp/B00D9PUXQY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1374069263&sr=8-7&keywords=devildriver - US
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/winter-kills/id667794927 – iTunes, US
