Power of Metal.dk Review

 
Devil You Know
The Beauty of Destruction
Rating
 
Style: Modern Metal
Release date: 25 April, 2014
Playing time: 47:00
 


In fact it is almost a miracle that former Killswitch Engage frontman, Howard Jones has recorded a new album. If you want to know what mr. Jones has been through, you better look it up elsewhere. It will not be a surprise that the lyrics on this album are about sickeness, despair, depression and loneliness. The production is done by Machine Head's  Logan Mader and Howard has recruited members who have All Shall Perish, Fear Factory and Bleeding Through on their palmares.

The guitar parts are of an excellent quality and the songs have a lot of variety. Sometimes fast, hard and heavy, then again more melodic and modern sounding. You can expect a kind of mix of metalcore reminding of Killswitch Engage and groovy thrash in a bit of Lamb of God style, but with some catchy melodic clean singing parts. Especially the clean singing of Howard surprised me, he does a fine job there. "For the Dead and Broken", "It's Over" and "Crawl from the Dark" are a bit softer and have a very modern sound. The vocals in combination with the music in "Crawn from the Dark" even reminds me a bit of Faith No More.

For those who like it fast and heavy with the typical grinding and growling vocals there is also enough to enjoy, take for example the track "A Mind Insane", which goes full speed ahead, but you have to be open for some clean more melodic stuff. Another track that I like is "I am the Nothing", in which you hear some emotional singing, you can hear the desperation. "Shut it Down" is again a groovy metal-thrashcore track, with the usual metalcore screams and aggression. The final track is one that has a very dramatic and desperate sound, which made me think of Type O Negative/Faith No More combi a few times.

A very variable album, with good songs and a combination of different styles and that sees to it that the music on this album is not easy to label.


Tracklist
01. A New Beginning
02.
My Own
03.
Embracing the Torture
04.
For the Dead and Broken
05.
Seven Years Alone
06.
It's Over
07.
A Mind Insane
08.
Crawl From the Dark
09. The Killer
10. I Am the Nothing
11. Shut it Down
12. As Bright as the Darkness
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Distribution: Sony Music (Denmark)
Reviewed by: Reinier de Vries
Date: 23 April, 2014
Website: www.facebook.com/devilyouknowofficial