Anyone who owns a DevilDriver merch and album would probably categorize the band’s music as heavy metal. Music critics however are not entirely sure what sub genre best fits the group. Listening to songs in different albums can give you a feeling of death metal hitting groove.
The occasional confusion over the band’s overall sound probably reflects its rocky start. This American band first came together when each of its members had different pursuits. Vocalist Dez Fafara was with Coal Chamber but had declared interest in breaking away from the group. Guitarist Jeff Kendrick, bassist Jon Miller and drummer John Boecklin were already Area-51 in early years. Fafara met Boecklin and guitarist Evan Pitts on separate occasions and DevilDriver was born in 2002.
The group’s name was originally Deathride but it was deemed too unoriginal. Band members settled on their new name because it sounded sinister enough. The term however is actually refer to Italian bells used to drive evil elements away. The band also adopted the cross of confusion as their logo, a symbol that meant there was a need to question existing institutions. The group’s symbolisms stem mainly from Fafara’s own personal background and history, having had Italian influences and having been raised to question everything.
Each DevilDriver CD is seemingly unique from the other. Critics think however that what is most likely strikingly different from everything the group has ever done is their self-titled release. This initial work has received considerable negative feedback despite the good sales of band related goth clothing. Some critics had the impression that the band wanted to enter the mainstream scene more than make music. After this release, Pitts made his exit and Mike Spreitzer took over.
Redemption came for the group with their second release, The Fury of Our Maker’s Hand in 2005. This was recorded in a remote ranch to screen out frequent distractions to the members’ creative output. The album took the 117 spot in the Billboard 200 and has been regarded by some as more deserving as an introductory release. The title of the body of work is again lifted from Fafara’s life, a reflection of his troubled personal history.
In 2005, the band reunited to create and release The Last Kind Words. They promoted this in the Download Festival, playing in the same venue as the legendary Iron Maiden. Pray for Villains came in 2009 and hit 35 in the Billboard 200. As if to make sure the upward rise stays uninterrupted, the group mapped out more work for 2010. A fifth album is said to be on the way. There’s no telling which direction the group will take on this piece of work. Fafara has hinted however, that this is yet again another album that will markedly stand out from what they have done in the past. The only way fans will truly know what this is all about is to wait for the chance to listen in.
Like other works by other bands, a DevilDriver album can’t exactly be put in a box. As with many creative artists, the work of this group’s band members is sometimes guided not by structure but simply by a simple desire to make music.