With this line-up you would expect to hear finely crafted metal songs that cut your speakers like a thin well placed razor. You would expect to be pummeled by bone crunching riffs and thunderous drums. You would expect to hear yourself singing along at extremely loud volumes in your car as you approach light speed down the highway. Yeah you would expect a lot from a band like Kill Devil Hill. Well let me explain that all your expectations are answered and beyond on this release
Just a well done, and well executed metal barrage of riffs and good old fashioned songwriting. These songs are each unto themselves masterpieces. A metal school, on how to achieve greatness in every note. Not the self-indulgence you might be used to, and not the image over content look either. These guys are the real deal, raw, loud, unrelenting, yet refined and tasteful.
First song, “War Machine” destroys you from the first note. This song should be lesson number one in any aspiring bands learning curve. Right to the point and taking no prisoners. The guitar shines on this one. “Hangman”,”voodoo doll”, “Gates of Hell” are incredible. All the songs are. “revenge”, now that one is getting a lot of play in my car. I can’t get enough of the overall sound.
Vinny Appice is on fire this whole song as well as the whole disc. His career in rock and heavy metal is one that is too long to dive into here. Let it be known that his drums are some of the most sought after drums on the planet. Combine him with the awesome talent of Rex Brown on bass and you have a Sherman tank backbeat. Rex is a powerhouse performer whose work in Pantera and down are epics of genius. Mark Zavon handles the guitar duties, a guitar hero in his own right; he stands tall alongside his seasoned band mates. I couldn’t believe he was the only axe grinding away on this disc. The relatively unknown vocalist is the cement that ties it all together. This guy has got a range but tastefully keeps it all in check. You can sing along with him but watch out because he can take flight at ease.
One of my favorite discs I have heard in a long time. And I hear a lot of bands. To make it to my ipod you gotta pass three tests….volume, intensity, and conviction. These guys walk it like they play it. This one is on the ipod and cranking as I write. You will remember this name and you will buy this disc. From the production to the cool cover graphics, this band’s debut is going to skyrocket into legendary status. Simply put, 10 horns on a 2 horn scale.
--MetalRising
