Chiodos are certain to garner a lot of attention with ‘DEVIL’. It is the band’s fourth album and the first to feature founding member Craig Owens on vocals since his well-documented return to the band in 2012, after he was briefly replaced by Brandon Bolmer for ‘Illuminaudio’ in 2010.
‘DEVIL’ hits its stride with ‘Ole Fishlips Is Dead Now’ which was streamed ahead of the album’s release with Altpress and it represents the album brilliantly combining the frenetic guitar, melodic hooks, and breakdowns that are key to Chiodos’ sound to produce a perfect representation of the album.
With regards to the album title, Owens himself states that the name is not meant to conjure up the typical images that will come to mind but instead refers to “the temptations of everyday life; the things that become regrets; the moments where you are forced to make a choice that will determine how it is that you look at yourself for the rest of your life.”
This is apparent throughout the album, particularly within the lyrics to the theatrical and grandiose ‘Sunny Days And Hand Grenades’ and perhaps best embodies Owens’ aims. A spoken word passage questions society’s view of a perfect family, with Owens welcoming the listener “to all the lies, the tension, the guilt, the hate, the unspoken misery” and more that he feels more accurately represents the situation. Elsewhere on the album, ‘Looking For A Tornado’ places its lyrical themes at the forefront of the song and on ‘Duct Tape’ he implores listeners to “come with me into the dark”.
That is not to say however, that ‘DEVIL’ only deals with heavy lyrical matters. Two of the strongest songs are also the most immediate and accessible on the album. ‘3AM’ is unashamedly the poppiest song on the album and is also the most uplifting. Put simply it is three and a half minutes of near perfection. Its positive lyrical content is tailor made for sing-a-longs and will undoubtedly sound absolutely massive in a live setting. ‘Under Your Halo’ carries a similar tone, a synth and orchestral introduction leading in to what could definitely be considered the most anthemic song of the album, the chorus of which is huge and heartfelt.
‘DEVIL’ is at times a busy sounding album but it never feels cluttered or confused. The guitar work is excellent throughout, and Chiodos have clearly benefited from the addition of Thomas Erak as lead guitarist. As expected, Craig Owens retains his incredibly impressive vocal range, and is just as composed delivering clean falsetto passages as he is at producing frenetic screams and deep roars.
Sat amongst what is otherwise a great album full of excellent songs is the weak ‘Expensive Conversations In Cheap Motels’. Although it is lifted by a strong final third which adds some urgency it is little more than the sum of its parts and it doesn’t reach the heights of the rest of the album.
‘I Am Everything That Is Normal’ brings the album to a close with the mantra of “I swear I’m different now” repeated towards the end amongst a sea of electronic beeps, piano, and distortion effects. With ‘DEVIL’, Chiodos have put a difficult period behind themselves to deliver an album full of honesty and confidence that combines the best parts of their sound with added innovation and experimentation to produce a near faultless return to form that also provides a very exciting sign of what the future will hopefully hold for them.
CHRIS HILSON