R.I.P. Roadrunner Records?

So after Devildriver quitting Roadrunner, now Machine Head are also on the way out! Or at least it seems so. Thing which is not surprising after the recent events that happened in the labels grounds, where all the international offices were closed down by the Big Cheese, Warner Music! With some info that some other bands might be quitting Roadrunner and notably Hatebreed, just a rumour at the moment, is this the end of the greatest metal label up to date? Is it time for the coyote to finally catch that damn bird? Whatever it may be, thanks for giving the world some of the best metal bands in the world. Somewhere, at some point, you went wrong and it’s a shame, but we’ll always respect you for the music you shared!

Beast - Devildriver (2011)

ALBUM REVIEW

What a great record from the Californian metalers! After the somehow disappointing Pray for Villains (good album but was expecting much more) Devildriver returns to action with a great album full of heaviness and aggression!  I am generally very excited with the sound of this album and the variety of melodies and grooves that the band composed for this album. Production wise it sounds great proving once again that Mark Lewis is definitely one of the best in the genre! Dez Fafara (Vocals) sounds amazing and his vocals really bring out the anger and the pain that has been going around the band for the last years. The guitar riffs and solos are really well executed and constructed, while the rhythms and grooves are really inviting for massive mosh pits just like Devildriver fans know how to do which makes me think that the songs from this album are literally going to be bone crushers during the live shows. Every song, one after the other, is really delivering something unique and different but at the same time just like James Baysinger from Metalholic stated : "One thing about DevilDriver, their style may not change much, and you know what you're gonna get, but it still kicks your ass every fucking time”. Definitely a very good effort from Devildriver and really an album that all fans of brutal death metal should own!

The song that really stands out to us is Hardened which has some really aggressive riffing and a great solo filled with superb melodies!

Beast: 9/10

Posted Nick

Devildriver - 13 Nov 2010 (The Forum)

Welcome to the crowd surfing and circle pit’s paradise! With a bill listing bands such as 36 Crazyfists and Devildriver you can be sure that the crowd will be amazingly crazy and aggressive. First on stage were 36 Crazyfists and I have to say that this guys know how to put up a great show. The band lifted up the crowd with an amazing energy on stage, especially by Brock Lindow(Vocals) who didn’t even hesitate at jumping inside the pit from the stage just to say hi to his friends down there. The band prepared an amazing set list that included tracks such as Slit Wrist Theory, Bloodwork or The Heart & the Shape. The crowd was amazing and the crowdsurfers didn’t stop for a second and so did the pits which were very aggressive and probably very fun too. I say probably because this time, being tortured by this cold that’s been haunting me for a week now, I decided not to join the pit and sit on the upper level of the Forum. On one hand I missed the intensity of the pits which looked awesome but on the other hand I got to witness all the frenzy that went through when Devildriver came on. What I saw from up there was something I haven’t seen in a while now. The crowd went absolutely mental for Devildriver. The band came up and ripped everything apart. They delivered songs from all Pray for Villains, The Last Kind Words and The Fury of our Maker’s Hand albums. Songs such as Clouds Over California or Forgiveness Is a Six Gun really made it for everybody. Dez Fafara(Vocals) seemed to have a great night and made sure to give a hand to all the crowdsurfers that made it to the security pit. I have to say that the last time that I saw so many crowdsurfers was probably at the Lamb of God gig last February where, according to Metal Hammer, there were 234 crowdsurfers coming over the barriers. I’m very interested in getting some numbers for this gig so if by any chance you get them just leave them in the comment section! Also one of the things that couldn’t be missing from a Devildriver gig is of course the massive circle pits. Despite the fact that the venue was packed and that the space was somehow limited, the pits did get quite big and aggressive and it was definitely very nice to watch them from above. Of course when you are Devildriver and you are playing London you have to play the song that is written about London so “let’s start a riot” and play Another Night in London. The song was amazing to be heard in this context and I’m sure that Dez, the crowd and everybody in the Forum did enjoy it a lot(maybe not the security guys). Overall a great gig and a message for the future: Do not miss the next Devildriver or 36 Crazyfists gig!

Devildriver: 19/20

36 Crazyfists: 19/20

Posted by Nick