Devil to Pay are an interesting prospect; they've been around for some 13 years and are the brainchild of Frontman Steve Janiak. Janiak himself is a fascinating guy, having spent some time in a deep drug induced coma; his lyrics are described as being "from the other side". Following the coma and coming from strange hallucinations and flashbacks; there's a deep well of weird shit to draw from, and Devil to Pay definitely get stuck in.
'On and On (in your mind)' kicks things off with a great, fuzzy riff and some rather fantastic drumming. Theres some cool guitar harmonies too; it's a stomping monster that leads nicely into 'Don't Give the World Away'; more great stoner grooves and a vocal and backing, not unlike earlier Alice in Chains, in places. The next track up is 'Kobold in the Breadbasket' and it's here that you hear more of the AIC influence that lies throughout a lot of the LP; not just in terms of vocal sounds, but in tone and tempo too, working well and not detracting from the sound or identity of the band, themselves.
Elsewhere, there's 'Recommended Daily Dosage' a speedy riffed rock banger, complete with Cowbell and venomous, raspy vocals. Following this, the stomp doom of 'Knuckledragger' all fit in well with pace of the record, grabbing your attention throughout. 'Your Inner Lemmy' is a fantastic tribute to the late man himself and his band, with more than a passing nod to the distinctive Motörhead Sound. The album closes with the magnificent 'The Demons Come Home to Roost'; an epic 8 minute long marathon of heavy riffs and drumming that mixes Heavy Rock and Stoner style with head bounding success.
The LP runs at a decent 44 minutes and doesn't let up from start to end; the lyrics are pretty out there, in places, and are fitting with the sounds, its a great listen.
Label Ripple Music continue to have a decent summer; if you haven't heard the debut album by The Judge, that needs rectifying. Label mates Zed release their new LP imminently too, and A Bend through Space and Time sits nicely between those two records. The Riffs are heavy and the grooves are tight. There's something infectious about this album that pays dividends you more you hear it; fans of heavy stoner and desert rock will find plenty to enjoy here, this is the good shit! (fans of six armed aliens and nipples will find the album art interesting too!)
Get on it.
Devil to Pay on Facebook
Devil to Pay on Ripple Music
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