Twitch reviews the Devilskin record “Be Like The River” here, in The Pit!
One of the hottest bands in New Zealand is Devilskin! Formed in 2010, they are a family affair. Paul (Bass) and Nic (Drums) are father and son, Jennie Skulander (Vox) is Nic’s Aunt and Paul’s sister-in-law. Nail (Guitar) is Paul’s evil twin (an inside joke based on their resemblance to each other) and they’ve just released their sophomore studio album ‘Be Like The River’ produced by Clint Murphy.
The opening number “In Black” caught my attention from jump. A definite mosh maker! Skulander’s vocals are commanding, dynamic and range from angelic to demonic. I particularly liked the tight, well mixed harmonies on top of the heavy, dark riffs. “Mountains” is a more drum heavy, piston riffing guitar laced ditty with strong emotive vocals. The next track “Pray’ is a subtler approach. It’s grungy, euphonic riffs meet death metal growls, “Pray” will appeal to a variety of tastes. “Voices” is a melodic, well written, hooky balled that has grown on me. Color me biased (as a vocalist), but the strong emphasis on Skulander’s ability to range from beautiful to face meltingly strong, truly impressed me and in general, carry this album.
From the soaring “Believe in Me” and the playful “F.Y.I.” to the groove-centric “Grave”, Devilskin has created a feel of twisted audaciousness tempered with nuance. It’s refreshing to hear a band and recording in which the female vocal element is such a commanding, ardent force! Another thing I dig about this album (which I’d be remiss for not mentioning) are Nail’s solo’s. Solos seem to be a forgotten element in metal lately, but no issues here!
Be Like The River is a 13-track album with cohesive flow and direction. With it, Devilskin combine alternative rock music, hard-hitting metal, and morsels of pop goodness. The effort is well produced and exhibits more musical force and fierceness than you might expect from an act in this genre!
