After a short break (the longest span of time between albums for DevilDriver, due in part to frontman Dez Fafara’s return to the resurrected Coal Chamber) the Santa Barbara band is back with long-time producer Mark Lewis (Chimaira, Trivium, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Adrift). Despite some changes in personnel, DevilDriver has maintained their core sound and delivers some fantastically heavy riffage and larynx-shredding vocals. It’s, as said above, exactly what you’d expect and hope for.

However, as with any DevilDriver album, Trust No One does deliver some subtle instrumentation that’s differentiates the album from others. Here you’ll find sounds of the Middle East on “My Night Sky,” and “Above it All.” You might even hear some classical instrumentation on “This Deception,” and overall you’ll hear that nu metal sound fuzed with sporadic elements of NWOBHM, which is very, very subtle.

As you might have guessed from the album’s title and the titles of some tracks, the album has a loose theme of trust. It would be interesting to know where this distrust comes from, but that might ruin the open-ended interpretation that has been offered, and thus what you bring to the music might be affected.

It might be the compression, but I found that the guitars sounded as they should when played alone, but once anything with bass came into play, the guitars sounded drowned out. If compression isn’t responsible, it could be the mixing, and it’s surprising that no one picked up on that before releasing the album.

Nonetheless, the bass, thump, and thud on the album are hallmarks of DevilDriver’s sound and will make for a great live experience.

For me, standout tracks on Trust No One include “My Night Sky,” “Daybreak,” “Trust No One,” “Retribution,” and “For What It’s Worth.”

The Verdict:

Pray For Villains is still my favorite DevilDriver album, but DevilDriver has provided a solid album with Trust No One. It’s heavy, angry, vicious, and exactly what DevilDriver should be. One final thing should be said about the album; it’s one of those albums that you like more with repeat listens. So take your time and let this one settle in.

Rock Hard \m/

Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of the band, but I do love, love, love Pray for Villains (it really helped me in some dark times), but this track lacks a certain charisma. I do, however, feel like this track will get a pit going in a live setting and I absolutely can get behind the song’s message as put forth by frontman Dez Fafara:

This song is about not fearing the unknown, and never giving up in life no matter what life throws at you, learning to hold your head high through even the darkest of times.

If you can’t get behind a message like that, fuck you!

Rock Hard \m/

DevilDriver will unleash their seventh studio album, Trust No One, on May 13th, via Napalm Records. Today, the band has revealed the track list (see below) and launched the pre-order for the new album, which can be made here.

Following their unprecedented success of 2013’s Billboard Top 40 record Winter Kills, Devildriver spent the last 3 years writing and recording their most savage album to date. For the new album the band teamed up with producer and previous collaborator, Mark Lewis (Cannibal Corpse, Coal Chamber, Holy Grail) at Audio Hammer Studios. Trust No One features 10 ferocious tracks that snarl and snap their jaws on listeners with an infectious and unrelenting force.

Frontman Dez Fafara commented on the album:

Trust No One is a vicious record filled with huge grooves and big hooks, guitar bass assery and thundering drums! Lyrically it goes to a realistic space exploring a ton of different emotion and headspaces regarding being human and what it means to exist. The band worked long hours writing as well as in the studio along with our producer to forge Trust No One! I hope you turn it the Fuck up and enjoy this record from start to finish!

DevilDriver will kick-off a year-long tour in support of Trust No One in April, which will include headlining dates in April and a tour with Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, and Act of Defiance that will kick off on the record’s release day, May 13th. General tickets and VIP packages are on sale now.

Trust No One Track List:

1. Testimony of Truth
2. Bad Deeds
3. My Night Sky
4. This Deception
5. Above It All
6. Daybreak
7. Trust No One
8. Feeling Ungodly
9. Retribution
10. For What It’s Worth

DevilDriver Tour Dates:

April 27 – Las Vegas, NV – Vinyl
April 29 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory
April 30 – Seattle, WA – Studio Seven
May 1 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory
May 3 – Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theatre
May 5 – Kansas City, MO – Riot Room
May 6 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
May 7 – Detroit, MI – Harpos
May 8 – Flint, MI – Machine Shop
May 9 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts
May 10 – Nashville, TN – Exit/In
May 11 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Stache
May 13 – Cleveland, OH – The Odeon (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 14 – Chicago, IL – The Metro (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 15 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theatre (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 16 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Complex (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 19 – San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 20 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 21 – Pomona, CA – Glasshouse (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 22 – Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 23 – Phoenix, AZ – Marquee (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 25 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 26 – New Orleans, LA – Republic (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 27 – Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey Bar & Grill (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 28 – Pryor, OK – Rocklahoma (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 29 – San Antonio, TX – River City Rockfest (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
May 31 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
June 1 – Jacksonville, NC – Hooligans (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
June 2 – Baltimore, MD – Sound Stage (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
June 3 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
June 4 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
June 5 – Montreal, QC – Corona (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
June 6 – Toronto, ON – Opera House (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
June 7 – Millvale, PA – Mr. Smalls (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
June 8 – Albany, NY – Upstate Concert Hall (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
June 9 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
June 10 – Providence, RI – Lupos (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
June 11 – New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place (w/Hatebreed, The Devil You Know, Act of Defiance)
June 13 – Columbus, OH – Park Street Saloon
June 14 – St. Louis, MO – Fubar
June 16 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater
June 17 – Window Rock, AZ – Window Rock Sports Center
June 18 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick

Before DevilDriver there was Coal Chamber, at least for vocalist Dez Fafara. Now Dez is pulling double duty now that Coal Chamber has reformed. News originally broke as far back as August 2014, when the ’90s-era band announced a new album for 2015, and then in December announcing a spring 2015 tour.

Now, Coal Chamber has confirmed May 19th as Rivals‘ official release date, which is their first in over 13 years. As well as the release date, the band has released the cover art (above) and the track listing.

Dez Fafara on Rivals:

This record was over 13 years in the making and I promise this record won’t disappoint and will be worth the wait! Rivals is solid through and through, there’s maturity and growth in the music while still maintaining the true Coal Chamber sound and delivering track after track of killer tunes! We had a great time working together on this record and I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!

In support of Rivals, Coal Chamber will be on a North American Headline Tour this spring. Support on the tour will come from Filter, Combichrist, and American Head Charge. The tour begins March 6th, in Tempe, Arizona, and runs through April 12th, in Dallas, Texas. Coal Chamber is offering an exclusive VIP Packages for every date on the tour here. The VIP package includes a meet and greet with the band, exclusive t-shirt, exclusive poster, souvenir laminate, and early entry (where applicable).

Rivals Track Listing:

1. I.O.U. Nothing
2. Bad Blood Between Us
3. Light in the Shadows
4. Suffer in Silence
5. The Bridges You Burn
6. Orion
7. Another Nail in the Coffin
8. Rivals
9. Wait
10. Dumpster Dive
11. Over My Head
12. Fade Away (Karma Never Forgets)
13. Empty Handed
14. Worst Enemy

Coal Chamber Spring 2015 Tour:

w/ Filter, Combichrist, and American Head Charge
3/6: Tempe, AZ @ Marquee
3/7: Los Angeles, CA @ House of Blues
3/8: San Francisco, CA @ Regency Grand
3/9: Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
3/11: Seattle, WA @ Showbox at the Market
3/12: Portland, OR @ Roseland
3/13: Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
3/14: Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
3/16: Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
3/17: Wichita, KS @ The Cottillion
3/18: Tulsa, OK @ Cains Ballroom
3/20: Milwaukee, WI @ Rave
3/21: Detroit, MI @ Harpos
3/22: Joliet, IL @ Mojoes
3/23: Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
3/25: Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
3/26: Toronto, ON @ Opera House
3/27: Niagara Falls, NY @ Rapids Theater
3/28: Worcester, MA @ Palladium
3/29: New York, NY @ Webster Hall
3/31: Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
4/1: Hartford, CT @ Webster Theater
4/2: Patchogue, NY @ The Emporium
4/3: Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
4/4: Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
4/6: Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls
4/7: Norfolk, VA @ The Norva
4/8: Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte
4/9: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
4/11: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
4/12: Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Live

Rock Hard \m/

Coal Chamber has just announced their signing to Napalm Records and that there is a new album on the way.

After reuniting in 2011 for some shows and festival runs, the ’90s-era juggernaut of nu metal feels the time is right for a full-fledged comeback after officialy breaking up back in 2003. Earlier today, Coal Chamber announced that all four original members (Dez Fafara, Nadja Peulen, Mikey Cox, Meegs) were together again and already working on new material, which they expect to drop next year.

Here’s what each of the band members had to say:

Dez Fafara

How many times do you get a second chance at anything in life? We toured the world, it was insane and crowds came out in force and we had a blast! For this I’m so appreciative!

Now… it’s time to release a new Coal Chamber Record! The Vibe between us all is positive AND we’ve assembled a killer team around us!

Now, with Napalm Records on board, get ready for a heavy explosion from Coal Chamber! We’ve evolved and so has the music, from the demo music I’ve heard you’re gonna sink your teeth into this! Stay tuned!

It’s been a long time coming but the wait is over! There are no words to describe how excited I am to be working on the new Coal Chamber record!!! I can’t wait to see all your faces when we rock this album out! Stay tuned!!!”
XO

Mikey Cox

This is the first time in a long time that writing and recording a record feels right. Extremely grateful and excited for this new chapter in the world of Coal Chamber!! New music from CC is something we can’t wait to share with the many loyal fans that have stuck it out through everything!!! The evolution of Coal Chamber has begun!

Meegs

I’m so excited to be making music with my brothers and sister, and to the loyal fans who’ve been waiting for this! It’s been a long time coming, but the pieces of the puzzle are finally aligned right. The friendship, the camaraderie, the vibe of the band is perfect now. Can’t wait to unleash on the world!

We’ll keep you posted as this news develops, but for now, tell us what you’re thinking in the comments section below.

Rock Hard \m/

For a live/performance video it’s pretty good since director Naughty Mantis actually captured the intensity Whitechapel puts into their shows. What’s really funny, however, is how just before they’re about to take the stage to deliver some blistering heavy metal, a band member remembers to take the van keys out of his pocket. Just normal everyday guys before unleashing chaos.

In other Whitechapel news, the band kicked off their North American tour tonight, May 14th, in St. Louis, Missouri, with Revocation and Rivers of Nihil supporting. Tomorrow night, the three bands head to Kansas City, Missouri, before meeting up with DevilDriver on May 17th for a co-headlining tour. Support on that tour will come from Revocation, Carnifex, Rivers of Nihil, and Fit for an Autopsy. See below for a complete list of dates.

If you’re interested in a VIP package to meet both Whitechapel and DevilDriver, you can make your purchase here.

Whitechapel Tour Dates:

w/ Revocations and Rivers of Nihil
5/14: St Louis, MO @ Fubar
5/15: Kansas City, MO @ Czar Bar

w/ DevilDriver, Revocation, Carnifex, Rivers of Nihil and Fit For An Autopsy
5/17: Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
5/18: Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
5/19: Tempe, AZ @ Marquis Theater
5/20: West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues
5/21: San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
5/22: San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge
5/23: Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spade
5/24: Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
5/25: Boise, ID @ Knitting Factor
5/26: Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factor
5/27: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
5/29: Calgary, AB @ Marquee Beer & Market Stag
5/30: Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall
5/31: Regina, SK @ Riddell Centre
6/1: Fargo, ND @ The Venue
6/2: Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City Nights
6/3: Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
6/4: Joliet, IL @ Mojoes
6/5: Kokomo, IN @ CenterStage Bar and Grill
6/7: Knoxville, TN @ The International
6/8: Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts
6/10: Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
6/11: Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar
6/12: New York, NY @ Stage 48
6/13: Philadelphia, PA @ Theater of the Living Arts
6/14: Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Sound Stage
6/15: Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall
6/16: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
6/17: Orlando, FL @ Firestone Live
6/18: Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
6/20: Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
6/21: Corpus Christi, TX @ House of Rock
6/22: Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Bar ‘N Grill (Outside)
6/23: Austin, TX @ Mohwak

8/7: Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall*
8/8: Ottawa, ON @ Ritual*
8/9: Montreal, QC @ Parterre Parc Jean-Drapeau – Heavy MTL 2014**
8/10: Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
8/12: Richmond, VA @ The Canal Club
*With Stick To Your Guns
**Festival Appearance

Rock Hard \m/

The Whitechapel/DevilDriver tour gets underway on May 17th (see below for dates). And the in-studio video plays more like a mini-doc, garnering a shit ton of respect for the band.

The new album, Our Endless War, is scheduled to be released on April 29th, via Metal Blade Records

About the upcoming tour with DevilDriver, Whitechapel stated:

We’re stoked to announce our tour with good friends DevilDriver. We’ve played several shows with them before and really enjoy performing and hanging out with them and believe that combining together to make one big brutal tour only made sense. Rounding out the rest of the bill are other incredible acts Carnifex and Revocation, with two hot up-and-coming death metal bands Rivers of Nihil and Fit for an Autopsy. Can’t wait to take this tour across the country and decimate every city!”

Whitechapel will have an additional tour prior to co-headlining with DevilDriver. This one gets going on April 16th, and includes a stop at the New England Metal & Hardcore Festival on April 18th.

Whitechapel April Tour Dates:

w/ Carnifex, Within The Ruins and Cruelhand
04/16: Columbus, OH @ The Basement
04/17: Buffalo, NY @ Waiting Room
04/18: Worcester, MA @ Palladium – New England Metal and Hardcore Fest
04/19: Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club
04/20: Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
04/22: Greensboro, NC @ Greene Street Club
04/23: Columbia, SC @ New Brooklyn Tavern
04/24: Jacksonville, FL @ Roc Bar
04/25: Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum
04/27: Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco

Whitechapel/DevilDriver Tour Dates:

w/ DevilDriver, Revocation, Carnifex, Rivers of Nihil and Fit For An Autopsy
05/17: Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
05/18: Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
05/19: Tempe, AZ @ Marquis Theater
05/20: West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues
05/21: San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
05/22: San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge
05/23: Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
05/24: Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
05/25: Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
05/26: Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
05/27: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
05/29: Calgary, AB @ Marquee Beer & Market Stage
05/30: Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall
05/31: Regina, SK @ Riddell Centre
06/01: Fargo, ND @ The Venue
06/02: Minneapolis, MN @ Mill City Nights
06/03: Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
06/04: Joliet, IL @ Mojoes
06/05: Kokomo, IN @ CenterStage Bar and Grill
06/08: Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts
06/10: Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
06/11: Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar
06/12: New York, NY @ Stage 48
06/13: Philadelphia, PA @ Theater of the Living Arts
06/14: Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Sound Stage
06/15: Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall
06/16: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
06/17: Orlando, FL @ Firestone Live
06/18: Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
06/20: Houston, TX @ Scout Bar
06/21: Corpus Christi, TX @ House of Rock
06/22: Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Bar ‘N Grill (Outside)
06/23: Austin, TX @ Mohwak

Rock Hard \m/

Basically, DevilDriver manages to successfully walk a very fine line. A lot of what keeps them on the legitimate side of heavy metal has to do with vocalist Dez Fafara and his gruff singing style. Hard to believe that he was in Coal Chamber.

But, in 2002, Dez left Coal Chamber to join DevilDriver, then known as Deathride. Dez pushed for the name change, which Roadrunner Records was unable to acquire anyways. Prior to meeting Dez, 15-year-old bassist Jon Miller, drummer John Boechklin, and guitarist Jeff Kendrick formed a high school band called Area-51, playing thrash covers from giants like Metallica, Slayer, and Pantera. Clearly, at such an early age, these influences would serve as the basis for the heavy grooves found in DevilDriver.

Today, DevilDriver consists of members Dez Fafara (vocals), Mike Spreitzer (guitar), Jeff Kendrick (guitar), John Boecklin (drums), and Chris Towning (bass). The band is six studio albums deep, releasing their latest, Winter Kills, in August 2013.

Leading up to the release of Winter Kills, DevilDriver was on tour, which included a stop at the Wacken Open Air Festival in Schleswig-Holstein, Northern Germany. Check out the video above to experience the show yourself. The sound is a bit sketchy at first, but it clears up.

DevilDriver at Wacken Open Air, 2013, Set List:

1. End of the Line
2. Cry for Me Sky (Eulogy of the Scorned)
3. Dead to Rights
4. Ruthless
5. These Fighting Words
6. It’s in the Cards
7. Not All Who Wander Are Lost
8. The Appetite
9. Before the Hangman’s Noose
10. I Could Care Less
11. Head on to Heartache (Let Them Rot)
12. Clouds Over California
13. Hold Back the Day
14. Meet the Wretched

Yell! Magazine’s Concert Series brings you kick-ass live shows to get your party started right and to help you vent your Friday frustrations.

Rock Hard \m/

Judging from the comments on YouTube, it seems that fans are somewhat divided over the Dan Burke directed video, which oddly (or not so much) reminds me of The Offspring’s “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy).” On one side, we have fans defending the video as a piece of satire. And on the other side, some fans are insulted by the lack of effort put into the video and the false depiction of a metalhead. OK, if you set aside all the exaggerated things this guy does, is this really what a metalhead looks like these days?

Let us know what you think of the video. Are you insulted or is this just a funny video for you?

I can’t say that I’m a fan of the video, but I do love it when our metalhead gets on the subway and practically sits on top of the hipster. That would be awesome to do. Actually, we should have a national “sit on a hipster” day, you know, because it would be ironic.

Winter Kills details

On August 26th, Devildriver will release Winter Kills on Napalm Records. The album will be available in four configurations include a Deluxe Digibook with CD (includes 2 bonus tracks: “Shudder” and “Back Down To The Grave”) and Live DVD (featuring 45 minutes of live, raw footage), standard CD version, digital version, and, for the first time in Devildriver history, a 2LP Gatefold edition.

Devildriver will be hitting the road this fall on a co-headlining tour with Trivium in support of Winter Kills. The tour kicks off in Boise, ID on September 12th and ends on October 17th in San Diego, CA.

DevilDriver with Trivium, After the Burial and Sylosis tour dates:

9/12: Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
9/13: Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
9/14: Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
9/16: Calgary, AB @ Macewan Ballroom
9/17: Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall
9/18: Saskatoon, SK @ Odeon
9/19: Winnipeg, MB @ Garrick
9/21: Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
9/23: Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
9/24: Toronto, ON @ Phoenix
9/25: Montreal, QC @ Corona
9/27: New York, NY @ Best Buy Theater
9/28: Boston, MA @ House of Blues
9/29: New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
9/30: Philadelphia, PA @ Theater of the Living Arts
10/2: Silver Springs, MD @ Fillmore
10/3: Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
10/4: Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
10/5: Detroit, MI @ Harpos
10/7: Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
10/8: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
10/10: Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom
10/11: Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion
10/12: Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
10/13: Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
10/15: San Francisco, CA @ Regency
10/16: Los Angeles, CA @ House of Blues
10/17: San Diego, CA @ SOMA

Rock Hard \m/

DevilDriver – Ruthless

SoCal Heavy Metal act DevilDriver is beastly, and their new single, “Ruthless,” from Winter Kills is nothing but that. It’s a slower-paced track than I usually like from the band, but it should please the fans regardless.

As ArtistDirect.com reports, vocalist and lyricist Dez Fafara made the following statement about “Ruthless” and the forthcoming album:

“The fact is in life you need to be ruthless at points to protect family and what’s rightfully yours. It’s definitely one of my favorite tracks on Winter Kills and has a signature that’s all DevilDriver. It’s the first track I laid and it’s all first takes…”

Winter Kills is DevilDriver’s sixth studio album, and it will be released on August 27, 2013 ]]> https://www.yellmagazine.com/devildriver-single-ruthless/59551/feed/ 0