DEVILDRIVER
The Last Kind Words
Roadrunner Records 2007
www.devildriver.com

Genre
Heavy metal

The Good
The monster that is DevilDriver returns with their new album “The Last Kind Words” This is one of the albums I have been waiting for this year. Kicking off things is the track “Not all who wander are Lost” which right from the get go implies some blistering musical work from every instrument. Soon, Dez comes in with this well known vocal screams and the track takes off. The song is a quick in your face track as with the rest on the album. The chorus provides a good movement that will get your head in motion. My personal favorite “Clouds over California” shows off some great guitar riffs throughout the song. The chorus is highly catchy and then the solo piece is nothing short of amazing. “Horn of Betrayal” is mainly drum dominated which extraordinary drum work and skill. Some of the best drumming I have ever heard is contained in this track. Towards the end the guitar starts picking up with a nice melodic feel.

“Bound by the Moon” draws out some clever lyrical work which I find really interesting (especially mid part) but the song is an impressive one. The blast beats during the chorus are perfect and the vocal style is fantastic. “Head on to Heartache (Let them Rot” is a slower track but it is as heavy as any. The lyrics on this track are very forward. “These Fighting Words” brings a stunning guitar line on the chorus. The track “Monsters of the Deep” is a breathe taking track that reminds me very much of Pantera with its style.

The Bad
Nothing notable

The Verdict
This album is brutal. From start to finish it just hits you in the face and never lets up. Everything on here is blistering. This album has some of the best musical work I have ever heard and it is definitely DevilDriver at its best. Dez’s vocals are top notch. This album easily differs from their previous records and I have to say I think this is their best yet. The album is filled with melodic hooks and works from all aspects and I personally think this is best of the year so far and with not many more albums left to be released this year, I believe “The Last Kind Words” will stay at the #1 spot.

Did You Know?
DevilDriver has had its songs appear in the TV series Scrubs

Rating: out of 5

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DevilDriver - The Fury of Our Makers Hand

--Derek Carey