DevilDriver Album- All the Death and Groove You Can Take
March 25th, 2011
Anyone who owns a DevilDriver merch and album would probably categorize the band’s music as heavy metal. Music critics however are not entirely sure what sub genre best fits the group. Listening to songs in different albums can give you a feeling of death metal hitting groove.
The mixed opinions about what the band really sounds like are perhaps signs of their difficult origins. Right up to before the group was formed, each of its members were variously occupied. Dez Fafara was still with Coal Chamber when he toyed with the idea of forming a new band. Jon Miller, Jeff Kendrick and John Boecklin who would soon also join forces with Fafara were already a band before Boecklin met Fafara. Fafara met the final member of the group, Evan Pitts on a separate occasion. They all became official band mates in 2002.
The group’s name was originally Deathride but it was deemed too unoriginal. Band members settled on their new name because it sounded sinister enough. The term however is actually refer to Italian bells used to drive evil elements away. The band also adopted the cross of confusion as their logo, a symbol that meant there was a need to question existing institutions. The group’s symbolisms
stem mainly from Fafara’s own personal background and history, having had Italian influences and having been raised to question everything.
Each DevilDriver CD is seemingly unique from the other. Critics think however that what is most likely strikingly different from everything the group has ever done is their self-titled release. This initial work has received considerable negative feedback despite the good sales of band related goth clothing. Some critics had the impression that the band wanted to enter the mainstream scene more than make music. After this release, Pitts made his exit and Mike Spreitzer took over.
Redemption came for the group with their second release, The Fury of Our Maker’s Hand in 2005. This was recorded in a remote ranch to screen out frequent distractions to the members’ creative output. The album took the 117 spot in the Billboard 200 and has been regarded by some as more deserving as an introductory release. The title of the body of work is again lifted from Fafara’s life, a reflection of his troubled personal history.
The band came together again to make The Last Kind Words. The group worked to promote it in the Download Festival where other more notable acts like Iron Maiden played. In 2009, the group made an even more important achievement as Pray for Villains went up to the 35th spot in the Billboard 200. After this, the band began to brainstorm over more work for the following year. Album number five is well along the way and has left fans anticipating a surprise from the group. There is no certainty where this new production will be headed but Fafara has already said that this fifth release will be so much different from the others.
It’s hard to create a strict category for a DevilDriver album. It doesn’t really matter much though. As long as they make relevant music, the fans will continue to listen.
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