We all know what Dani Filth can do with Cradle. We sort of know what he can do with Devilment, but now is that time to make a statement of intent as to whether this band is going to steam on as a full project, or just something that will wither away. Devilment II is here y’all.
[tracklist]
01. JudasStein
02. Hitchcock Blonde
03. Under The Thunder
04. Full Dark, No Stars
05. Shine On Sophie Moone
06. Life Is What You Keep From The Reaper
07. Dea Della Morte
08. Entangled In Our Pride
09. Hell At My Back
[/tracklist]
[details]
[record_label]Nuclear Blast[/record_label]
[release_date]18th November 2016[/release_date]
[/details]
Naturally fans are going to continually make Devilment comparisons to Cradle of Filth. It’s pretty unavoidable considering frontman Dani Filth has sat at the helm of the project for 25 years now, and we simply don’t see him in any other light. Devilment’s debut ‘The Great and Secret Show‘ came as somewhat of a surprise for many – it demonstrated a slightly more playful side of the Gothic metal virtuosity we are all familiar with. Clearly something interesting was brewing, and maybe the sophomore effort might just solidify that into a distinguishable sound.
While the debut album may have tread in shallow waters, the opening track of ‘Judas Stein‘ really sets out an agenda for what Devilment are trying to accomplish. The Luciferian vocals of Filth are met with the hard-riffing of groove metal, layered with Gothic ambience in keys that fluctuate between the sparkling and the dark. It’s pretty impressive right from the beginning.
But it get’s better. Track’s like ‘Hitchcock Blonde‘ and ‘Under the Thunder‘ really manage to pry away the idea that Devilment is a carbon copy of Cradle of Filth, giving lyrics a much more casual approach, and song progression that paints a picture of an underground band playing to a daring crowd in some dingy North Hollywood club.
The tempo diversity on the album ensures every track stands out from each other, and while Cradle style songwriting and vocal delivery appears every now and then, it’s mellowed out by the serene female vocals on tracks like ‘Full Dark, No Stars‘ and ‘Dea Della Morte‘ before progressing into some bone-crushing grooves.
‘Devilment II – The Mephisto Waltzes‘ really seems to resonate a passion for songwriting, and now clears the air to the fact that Devilment are here to stay. Very much a surprise for myself who went into the album truly thinking the project was just something to break the Cradle cycle. It’s good. Very good.
[verdict]Yes[/verdict]
[why]If you had any doubts about Devilment as just some bit on the side, ‘The Mephisto Waltzes’ will come as a great surprise. It’s a pleasant mash of goth meets groove, and while that may sound tacky, the results really do impress.[/why]
