01.Oath Of The Abyss
02.Ruthless
03.Desperate Times
04.Winter Kills
05.The Appetite
06.Gutted
07.Curses And Epitaphs
08.Carings Overkill
09.Haunting Refrain
10.Tripping Over Tombstones
11.Sail
12.Shudder
13.Back Down To The Grave
Dez Fafara (Vocals)
Jeff Kendrick (Guitar)
John Boecklin (Drums)
Mike Spreitzer (Guitar)
Chris Towning (Bass)
At the age of fifteen, bassist Jon Miller had formed a band with drummer John Boecklin and guitarist Jeff Kendrick in high school. The band was called Area-51 and played cover versions of Metallica, Slayer, and Pantera. Miller, Boecklin and Kendrick met Coal Chamber vocalist Dez Fafara while he was in the process of recording the album Dark Days with Coal Chamber in 2002. The three were playing in a local band and talked to Fafara who said he was thinking about leaving Coal Chamber. Fafara said "Hey you guys write some heavy shit, and I want to get out of Coal Chamber".Fafara hosted several barbecues after moving from Orange County to Santa Barbara and would jam with musicians he met, which led to the formation of the band. Guitarist Evan Pitts met Fafara in a restaurant and gave him his phone number for a jam session, while John Boecklin who originally played guitar then played drums, met Fafara at a bar.
The band was originally known as Deathride, but later changed their name to DevilDriver because Fafara felt there were too many bands with that name; a band in Norfolk, Virginia, and a bicycle racing team. Another problem was that the band's label, Roadrunner Records were unable to secure copyright. The members compiled a list of roughly two hundred names to go for a more original approach. Fafara's wife had a book by Italian witchcraft author Raven Grimassi on Stregheria, and came across the term 'devil driver'. The term 'devil driver' refers to bells Italian witches used to drive evil forces away. Fafara thought it was appropriate because it sounded "evil", and thought the term "suits his life". The band's logo is the Cross of Confusion, which has existed for thousands of years and refers to "question religion, question authority, question everything around you". Fafara was brought up to "question everything" and was exposed to Italian witchcraft through his grandparents.
The band then set about making some of the most brutal heavy metal going, creating a massice fanbase all over the world and some of the biggest circle pits ever!!!
This is the first Devildriver album to feature new bassist Chris Towning who was a touring member from 2012 until joining permanently in February 2013. Recording of instrumental parts took place at Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida and the album was produced by Mark Lewis.
Man thats what i love about this band a nice quiet little intor into some full on metal! 'Oath Of The Abyss' shows that the band have no sign of slowing down.
This stays the way for every track, screaming vocals, superfast drumming and epic riffing! but then we get to 'Sail' originally by indie band Awolnation (Dez Fafara was turned on to the original by his teenage sons!) its kinda different, slowish, musical, sounds like female backing harmonys - On a devildriver album?????
Fortunatley 'Shudder' and 'Back Down To The Grave' return to form.
Rating 9/10
For Fans Of : At The Gates, In Flames, Arch Enemy, Machine Head
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