Review by Jake Masters
Mr. Dez Farfara of Coal Chamber fame is back with a new project and his DevilDriver creation isn't just a rehash of old material. This new undertaking is much more brutal and a vulgar breed of metal. It is a fresh start even though DevilDriver was conceived while Coal Chamber was writing their third album, Dark Days.
Once the CD enters your stereo and you press play the brutality begins. The opening track, “Nothing’s wrong?” starts with a fast-paced riffing style that brings Cradle of Filth to mind. The song then goes into a down-tuned double bass fest Fear Factory style and then back again. Farfara’s voice has a brutal range for this project reminding me of Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory and Cradle of Filth’s Dani Filth. There is a driving force behind these songs that will make you move. Gone are the subtle, creepy noises and glam rock sensibilities of Coal Chamber. The 5-piece DevilDriver has a thicker sound, due mostly to the two-guitar attack of Pitts and Kendrick. They combine guitar elements of black, death, and classic metal for a furious mix. DevilDriver takes a direct sonic route straight for the throat. You’ll be chanting “I wish you were dead!” in no time along with the third track “Die [and die now].”
You can catch DevilDriver this summer on the Ozzfest tour bringing the brutality to a town near you.