The music of the Devil should be attractive and melodic. Only this way the masses should take his message easily and spread it. We would not examine now if this a serious theory or a serious joke cause the new album by The Devils Blood from The Netherlands is here and this is a big, good subject for review. Right?

Of course the creation of music inspired by the early or late 70s era is not a new story. Many -chronologically newer- bands have taken their musical baptism from this golden era offering to the masses some really inspired records, some of those bands have chosen the occult references or topics to their lyrics... We can mention some examples... there is no reason. No one does it better than The Devils Blood.

I will be fair with you: When their first demo came in my attention and before I listen a single tune from it I thought that “ok we have had enough of those retro occult lovers”, I kept my mouth silent after the first hearing of the band's music, this is was a real shock and it was bigger as I was discovering more and more f their music. The shock was even stronger when the debut came out, an album that I have already put on my list of the best albums of the past decade. They have put their standards too high giving to the masses such a record... the next step would be extremely difficult for them.... I was discussing with a good friend the past summer about this very specific band and this very specific debut and came into the conclusion that it would be almost impossible to offer something better than this. Now the second full length is here. Lets see...

“Unending Singularity” is the interlude of the album: a dark piano melody would soon fill the air... the first guitar melodies would drive the interlude into a crescendo second by second... the piano melody is still there... “On The Wings Of Gloria” and its magical guitar main theme will soon fill the air. Mid tempo track, based on the already mentioned dark and catchy main theme and those haunting female vocals, attractive and mysterious, effects, guitar leads and more melodies will soon fill the air, the strong is getting stronger and stronger, listen carefully, yeap you got it a piano melody is still there.

The opening riff of “Die The Death” probably have escaped form one of those obscure late 60s garage / psych masterpieces... in the same mood the whole song would lay its magic to be spread around. Straight, melodic, catchy and mysteriously happy. The soundtrack of a strange ceremony under the sun or the moon? Who knows... those female vocals are taking me with them again... The trip goes on “Within The Chanel House Of Love”, a dark heavy psychedelic delirium full of effects and those mysterious mysterious melodies that only this band knows to create....

“Cruel Lover” will be with no doubt the “hit” of the record and if you do not like the term let me describe it us one of the most catchy and characteristic songs of this band... guitar driven little dark anthem in mid tempo.... this song sure got the power to electrify anyone. Listen its main part, its chorus, in every second a little musical crescendo.. And those vocals by “the mouth of satan” are making magic again.... “She” follow a bass drive mid tempo anthem, an adventurous trippy chorus is marking this song, and some really beautiful lead guitar job...

The dramatic intro of the “Thousandfold Epicenter” will soon fill the air... it will last some some seconds soon to be followed by a theme that would bring into your mind Jethro Tull's “Locomotive Breath” and this is just the beginning cause here we got probably the most complex and adventurous composition of the band full of musical bridges, excellent guitar themes and melodies. You will be amazed by its every and single part that would sound so catchy in your ears but at the end of the song you must have already realize that is is built under an almost Prog Rock structure.

“Fire Burning” is another tuned base on the classic The Devils Blood garage influenced guitar storm. The suitable title for the suitable song... pure fire in here. Leads will blow your mind in here just after the explosion of the main guitar themes....

“Everlasting Saturnalia” is one of my favorite songs from the album. One of the most strange, beautiful and dark songs that this band has written. Its enigmatic melody will make you close your eyes... A calm song... but it carries a strange power... and a mystery... When magic is turned to music we have songs like this. Are those song melodies coming from a strange dark heaven f straight from hell? What kind of trip is this? What kind of magic? After the calm of this one the “Serpent of Madness” follows and the title of the song says it all I suppose... this another electric, trippy and dark storm driven straight into your mind and soul...

“Feverdance” is my top tune from the album. More enigmatic melodies and effects in the song's first part, more ritualistic melodic themes by this beauty of this voice.... A journey... that gets even more electrified as the song is getting into this electric psychedelic bridge in the middle... and the song will soon get wilder and wilder before the grand finale: a dramatic almost horror theme based in keyboards.

If someone would try to compare the current album with the debut there will be many things that could be pointed. First of all all the classic features of The Devils Blood sound are still here and are the basis on the band's music: Their characteristic songwriting, the trademark melodies on the female vocals, the mid tempos and of course the 70s influences. However there is a big evolution on the band's sound as now they have also added much more psych references -that would take you back even on the late 60s-, some garage touches can be heard here and there but they are transformed wisely to fit on the general sound puzzle. Their song writing is now more adventurous but on the same it remains straight and catchy and of course the word “catchy” is not used here to describe any kind of supermarket music but the magic of this band to create memorable and characteristic melodies that stick in the mind forever.

I would like to put this second album in the same level us the debut and let the time tells which is the best one for me, this is not the point after all, there is always space for two great albums. The big point in here is that everyone who enjoyed the band's debut and has great expectation for this one, will not be disappointed. I am trying hard to find a single band with such a talent in songwriting, with the ability to write such inspired music... With the ability to generate such unexpected and attractive melodies. I can not find another one, my mind is stuck on The Devils Blood. They are here again in great inspiration offering us a top album. The Devils Blood is a musical phenomenon not a simple band. Follow them.


http://www.myspace.com/thedevilsblood

Review by: Countraven