Groove metal lifers DevilDriver aren’t slowing down, they’re sharpening the blade.
The band have officially announced their new album ‘Strike and Kill’, landing July 10th via Napalm Records, and it hits with the same teeth bared aggression that built their name in the first place.
Alongside the announcement comes lead single ‘Dig Your Own Grave’, a track that wastes zero time getting ugly, it’s all machine gun riffing and blunt force percussion, the kind of opener that feels less like a song and more like a warning shot.
DEVILDRIVER – Dig Your Own Grave video
Back to the source, no compromises
Frontman Dez Fafara makes it clear this isn’t a reinvention, it’s a recalibration (per press release).
“My headspace hasn’t changed, I have not become complacent or soft in my view of the world or in my music. Metal is our outlet as listeners and writers, so on this record we focused on ‘getting it all out’ lyrically, and backing those lyrics with savage, relentless music that fuels the heavy California groove like no other. DEVILDRIVER has never sounded like any other band, we do our own thing in our own way, and I’m the most proud of that.
“I’m so proud of these musicians, this music, and the vibe around this record. DevilDriver sounds like no one else out there right now, we are here to Strike and Kill!”
That intent bleeds straight into ‘Dig Your Own Grave’, a track that doesn’t deal in subtlety.
“‘Dig Your Own Grave’ is about how one wrong decision, one wrong move can see your whole world turned upside down, effectively ‘digging’ your own grave… it’s that simple.
“It can also refer to how your decisions can f**k someone else. This is why there’s the line ‘Six feet ain’t deep enough for you,’ because only a deep, deep hole is fitting for what you’ve done or tried to do to others. Be careful when you choose to make decisions at midnight.”
What to expect from ‘Strike and Kill’
This is DevilDriver leaning hard into their DNA, groove heavy, melodeath infused, and soaked in blackened atmosphere, tracks like ‘Dead in the Water’ and ‘Sanctified In Scars’ push technicality, while cuts like ‘Ride or Die’ and the title track double down on sheer force.
There’s even room to breathe, briefly, before it all caves back in.
It follows the ‘Dealing With Demons’ cycle, which saw the band dominate metal radio, but this time around feels less like refinement and more like a deliberate step back into the fire.
DevilDriver ‘Strike And Kill’ tracklist
- Dig Your Own Grave
- Dead in the Water
- Sanctified In Scars
- Strike and Kill
- In the Moonlight
- Ride or Die
- Headed for the Fall
- Shut the Silence On
- Never Coming Home
- Summoning Shadows
- You’re just a Ghost
- Oath of Iron
- All Bets are Off
More details here.
Australian tour dates with Cradle Of Filth
DevilDriver hit Australia this July alongside Cradle Of Filth:
- Thursday, July 9th – Brisbane, The Tivoli
- Friday, July 10th – Sydney, The Enmore
- Saturday, July 11th – Melbourne, The Forum
- Tuesday, July 14th – Adelaide, Hindley Street Music Hall
- Thursday, July 16th – Perth, The Astor
Find out more and get your tickets here.
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