Published on September 12th, 2016 | by Gareth Allen
0Devildriver Live at Glasgow O2 ABC
It’s hard to imagine the metal world without California’s Devildriver in it. Their live connection with the audience is legendary; and as this reviewer can testify, a Devildriver circle pit is a life affirming and thrilling experience. Their music, which combines melody and groove with death metal, is a sound truly unique to them too.
The new album, ‘Trust No One’, sees the band’s very talented guitarist, Mike Spreitzer, taking the musical helm, and complementing vocalist Dez Fafara’s lyrics, with some excellent melody infused musical settings. Music that also doesn’t lose any of that energy and metal attack which Devildriver are renowned for. ‘Daybreak’ from the album, played early in the set, exemplifies this and gets a fantastic crowd reaction.
‘I Could Care Less’, from their debut album follows on, and ups the groove quotient massively, and unleashes the head banging and the mosh pit in front of the stage into complete overdrive! Dez noticeably gives some piercing eye contact to the audience, and at the end of the number shouts out to the audience in acknowledgement, “Thank you very much for your energy!”
‘My Night Sky’ from the new album is a set highlight. It’s a really driven song, which hits an amazing groove, which the band is clearly very much into. During the gentle melodic middle section the crowd claps along, just before the band launch headlong back into a heavy guitar led attack. Dez’s vocals are really excellent here, and throttle and drive the song along. As the song finishes, Dez asks the audience “Do you like that shit”. They do!
‘Clouds Over California’, near the end of the set, is as ever a major high point. Mike smiles, Dez says hello to Glasgow’s very own “pit troll”, and the band blast through one of the best metal songs of the modern era. The song’s introduction, where the heavy guitars are broken through by a spiraling guitar melody, charges headlong into an immense infectious rhythm that is both completely irresistible and iconic.
Even though tonight the sound mix didn’t do the band full justice; its mark of how good a band Devildriver are that they played a set that just powered past that to deliver a great performance.
At the close of the set, Dez says to a Glasgow audience he has again made his own, “Keep it heavy, never regret”. It sums up Devildriver perfectly.
About the Author
Gareth Allen A committed metal head with a love of jazz, soul, and folk. Living in Central Scotland and attending gigs in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with it's really amazing venues. My iconic moment... being invited on stage at the Glasgow Garage, by DevilDriver's Dez Fafara!
