Review Summary: DevilDriver's 2nd full length album shows that they are an exceptional metal band that are here to stay and are a force to be reckoned with.
The self-titled debut album that DevilDriver presented to the world in 2003 was, in all honesty, pretty much a mess. Oh yes, it showed that the band had a lot of potential, but they weren’t proving themselves musically or artistically on the album despite the fact that there were a few good tracks. The band went through some lineup changes and returned with their sophomore effort, which has proved to be a real treat. The band really stepped it up this time around and it’s evident on every song.
First off, there is no denying that Dez Fafara is a stellar vocalist. He has a unique range, and it is as heavy as it is powerful. He roars and screams his way through this entire album, never letting up on the assault till the closing clean guitar riffs of the title track. His voice brings in traces of melodic death metal and metalcore, but he doesn’t sound like every other metal band we’ve heard already. He keeps you interested as the songs are all heavy, straight to the point and in your face, and catchy. He also proves that he isn’t all that bad as a lyricist either. The guitar work is also a gem on this album. Mike and Jeff are great guitar players and they leave blistering riffs along the entire record. Just listen to the guitar work on “End of the Line”, “Pale Horse Apocalypse”, “Sin & Sacrifice”, and the title track to see a great and sometimes graceful combination of heavy riffs, soloing, and clean guitar that all add to the vibe of the band. Bassist Jon Miller doesn’t do much to stand out, but he has his chance to be heard in some of the songs and backs up the guitar work quite well. One of the true stars of this album (who continues to prove a valuable asset to the band on every DevilDriver release) is Drummer John Boecklin. His drumming is fantastic and really keeps the band tight and in form. Every song on here showcases great drumming from him and shows how important he is in the foundation of their signature sound.
“End of the Line” is instantly an album highlight and one of the best songs the band has ever written, and you can tell this just by the first listen. The opening guitar work is some of the best clean riffage in metal ive ever heard, and when the great drumming comes in followed by the roar from Dez, you know the band mean business. It doesn’t drop its intensity for its entire duration and really gets you pumped for the rest. It might take some time for the rest of the album to grow on you, but once it does you won’t want to stop listening. “Hold Back the Day” has some great riffs and a pre-chorus/chorus hook that is one of the best on the record. “Sin & Sacrifice” certainly proves Mike and Jeff’s guitar skill as the first minute of the song is a combination of ambient and groove riffs that set the mood for Dez to come in. “Before The Hangman’s Noose” features a hook that really gets you jumping and banging your head and the title track presents the band in all their glory with a combination of all the elements they introduced to their sound on this album, truly having the record going out with a bang (even though it fades out in an ambient fashion with some more great clean guitar riffs). It is also another album highlight and should not be overlooked.
“The Fury of Our Maker’s Hand” is a very solid effort and really proves that DevilDriver are a metal band that are here to stay and are a force to be reckoned with. They stick out from the crowd of bands in the heavy music scene and this album proves that Dez Fafara had a vision in his mind that was bound to be big in time. Their next 2 albums didn’t disappoint at all, but rather saw the band expanding on the sound they presented on this album and only got better. If anything, they are very consistent. This album will always serve as an important highlight of their career, and it’s a metal album that is very fun to listen to.
