Former Coal Chamber vocalist Dez Fafara and his band Devildriver sure have been busy the last few years trying to make a name for themselves in the extreme metal world. A few album releases, plenty of tours opening for the likes of In Flames, Lamb Of God, and Dimmu Borgir, all have helped Devildriver become one of the more popular of the up-and-coming bands on the metal scene. It also helps when your latest CD is as good as The Last Kind Words is. This is the album that should catapult this hard working band to new heights. Mixing 80's styled thrash with Gothenburg melodic death metal is nothing really new, but this band have honed it down to a science and topped it off with a stellar production job, making The Last Kind Words a veritable must hear release.
The strong elements of this band have always been the vocals of Fafara and the dual guitar tandem of Jeffrey Kendrick & Michael Spreitzer, and these three shine once again here. In addition, drummer John Boeklin and bassist Jon Miller have really kicked things up a notch as well, especially Boeklin, whose inhuman stick work on the lethal opener "Not All Who Wander Are Lost" flat out sizzles. Tunes like "Bound By the Moon", "Horn of Betrayal", and "Tirades of Truth" contain plenty of red-hot thrash licks and goulish vocals from Fafara, showing that this band can crank it out with most extreme bands on the scene. Sure, they get a little close to the metalcore/nu-metal thing on "Monsters Of The Deep" and "Head On To Heartache (Let Them Rot)", but they are still quality metal numbers nontheless.
So, indeed, third time's a charm in this case for Devildriver. The Last Kind Words is chock full of strong melodies, blinding guitar work, and plenty of brutal aggression, all elements that make a good extreme metal record. As good as this one is, I'm thinking the next one will be their masterpiece. Let's wait and see.
Track Listing
01. Not All Who Wander Are Lost
02. Clouds Over California
03. Bound By The Moon
04. Horn Of Betrayal
05. These Fighting Words
06. Head On To Heartache (Let Them Rot)
07. Monsters Of The Deep
08. Tirades Of Truth
09. Burning Sermon
10. When Summoned
11. The Axe Shall Fall
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
