My thanks to Matt from Savagegringo PR for the review copy. Be Like the River is Devilskin’s follow-up to their very well received debut album We Rise (review here).
If you thought New Zealand is a bit of a way away with nothing much to recommend it other than a few sheep and a passable rugby team (no offence Kiwi-types, it’s all in jest) then it’s time for you to think again with Devilskin hailing from those shores.
Huge at home and surely heading for making a significant splash in worldwide rock/metal circles. I enjoyed We Wise and was most pleased when Matt furnished me with a copy of Be Like the River.
This second album sees the band progressing musically to a more well-rounded and mature approach without losing any of the raw power and energy. And the marvellous Julie Skullander has the most remarkable voice with a phenomenal range. A sort of a heavied-up Ann Wilson.
Crunching in your face pumping rifferama throughout backed up by a throbbing rhythm section overlaid by that massive voice of Skullander makes for a heady musical brew. Especially with the developing maturity of approach working in some well-placed melodic passages to vary things nicely.
Check out the opener – In Black. Monster guitar bouncing along, THAT voice which goes from outright full belt to the melodic bits effortlessly.
And on we go in a similar style throughout. Big, big sounds for you to enjoy.
Have a look at this video for Grave and you’ll get a good idea of what’s in store for you.
Other highlights (and demonstrations of style variation) include Voices with the huge “I have an army and their voices are loud” running theme intersecting the flowing feel of the song and F.Y.I with the sort of quasi-rap which Skullander slips in and out of at will. Arguably something of a “marmite” song however I like it as I like my marmite.
Oh – and Limbs is a cracker too. The whole album is. Unmistakenly metal but with soul and feeling. Hits hard in a forgiving way. A double thumbs-up in my book.
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