Devil Sold His Soul - "Darkness Prevails"
I've found this interesting release by Devil Sold His Soul, entitled "Darkness Prevails", in one of the music stores in England. To be honest, I have downloaded their newest album from the Internet and bought "Darkness Prevails" only because it was difficult to get via torrent.
It doesn't happen often that the material I'm reviewing is not pirated (especially if it's an artist from outside Poland), so let me take a moment to describe the very package. Basic version of the release, apart from the EP, contains a DVD disc with three songs shot live and three official videos of Devil Sold His Soul. The CD is packed with extras, such as, original versions of DSHS's tracks from their debut album and it comes with an awesome looking booklet with the lyrics.
But let us get to the music. The first track of the album I heard was the closing "Like it's your last". I makes sense to begin the review with it as it's the best cut on the CD. "Like it's your last" is the showpiece of DSHS's style. It starts off with an atmospheric, dreamy guitar part only to be an introduction to an onslaught of sound that hits the listener after 52 seconds. The first thing that struk was the kind of pocket drumming and unusual vocals. Tom Harriman, the drummer who recorded the tracks certainly has a lot to offer but you won't hear blast beats or insane quads. Tom takes him drumming to the background, yet it remains an important element, making DSHS music atmospheric, which is a rare quality in metal focused on lightening fast double kicks.
Another quality that makes DSHS music stand out is Edd's vocals. He utilizes two types of singing: high pitched, clean singing and screaming. Some may think it to be a disadvantage for the band but Edd's voice is distinctive and stands out from the crowd of dozens of average screamers.
DSHS truly amaze me. They have managed to find a perfect balance between guitar, drum, electronics, and vocal parts. Also, the band knows how to utilize silence letting the listener rest from the noise. DSHS is not your usual bunch is virtuosos, showing off chops and licks—they see no need to do that. "Darkness Prevails" is an album that creates unbelievable atmosphere unlike any other band. I hear people say DSHS is boring. To some extent it may be true, especially if boring means simple and lacking variety. True, some tracks consist of a few riffs only but DSHS can turn them into a real gem.
As for the guitars, by not doing much they create a lot of sounds; the guitar parts aren't too busy but that's what the music calls for. Solos, sweeps and such are superfluous in DSHS music. Both guitarists focus on groove not showmanship.
As a whole, "Darkness Prevails" is a great present for every DSHS fan. The live video clips may not be of great quality but everyone who is sold on DSHS should be happy to see them. The album is like its cover art—minimalist but carrying an intense message. There's no need to describe every single track of this album--it'll be a more interesting CD to discover. I thoroughly recommend "Darkness Prevails" and I'm waiting for their next release dropped under the wings of Centrury Media.
Rating: 9 / 10
More about Devil Sold His Soul on their official MySpace profil: http://www.myspace.com/devilsoldhissoul
