Having experienced several line-up changes in the past decade, Devilz By Definition, from Windsor, Ontario, Canada have now settled as a quartet and released their first single in this form. Devilz By Definition walk the line between groove and thrash metal with aspects touching on a more technical approach. With a history of songs confronting societal concerns, morality and integrity, the band now tackle, “desolation and homeless in a world full of greed.”
Opening with steady, almost processional guitar - which forty seconds in becomes a concoction of chugs and wails - Devilz by Definition takes us on a sinister walk through a dangerous cityscape marred by greed and hardship. Under the city / Fuelled by our greed / Stains from this nightmare / Too tired to feed / The entrance is lost / But the shadows refuse / To leave all the darkness / And face the abuse / There’s no excuse / Too tired to feed! Representing the marginalised and oppressed, the shadows are hesitant to confront their oppressors. In his debut outing for the band, vocalist (and guitarist) Jamie Couvillon (CrAzY CoUv) growls the vocals with conviction and purpose. There is a suggestion of a call to action and an underlying indictment of complacency towards the issue.
During the faster, more hostile sections of the track, Devilz by Definition are reminiscent of some elements of the music of Hatebreed but balance this aggression with a slower, groove metal breakdown which lyrically suggests an impending revelation or revolution. Everything’s under the road / Under the road / Feelings forbode / Under the road / We will erode.
A mid-song spoken word section - which is backed by melodic but mournful guitar – further displays the band’s disdain for the unchecked power and self-indulgence while suggesting that we our trapped by our own perceptions and fears. We are all prisoners of our own minds / And in darkness, peace, we can't find / In the wake of destruction, we have no remorse / And beneath the surface, is a driving force. As the spoken word section gives way to a thrash-laden Metallica-like bridge and subsequently a return to the style of the first verse, this time, there is more optimism in the lyrics which hint at the resilience of the oppressed and their preparation to rise up and break free from their chains. We whisper the words / And break out of the bind / Break out of the bind / No longer confined!
Undoubtedly, Devilz By Definition have all the components to be a band that appeals to a range of metal fans and they have no qualms about facing the woes of society in their lyrics. Under The Road covers groove metal, thrash metal and even moments which border on technical death metal. There are a range of vocal styles which – after the spoken word - even includes a very short segment which even brings Travis Ryan of Cattle Decapitation to mind. With this new single and the addition of a new vocalist, it feels as if they have gone all in and tried to show every aspect of the band in the song’s six minutes. While this allows the band the freedom to fully express themselves and ensures the song does not stagnate, it will be interesting to see how listeners respond to the range of genres that the band live within.
Written: 2nd January 2024
Under The Road is out now.
Visit the band's bandcamp page to stream or buy Under The Road : https://devilzbydefinition.bandcamp.com/track/under-the-road
Listen Under The Road on YouTube below.