Pray for Villains

Occupation

• Vocal: Dez Fafara
• Electric Guitar: Mike Spreitzer
• Electric Guitar: Jeff Kendrick
• E -Bass: Jon Miller

Pray for Villains is the fourth studio album by the American metal band DevilDriver. It was released in July 2009 when record label Roadrunner Records. In the first week, about 14,600 copies of the album were sold and it debuted at # 35 in the Billboard charts.

Formation

Pray for Villains was recorded in Los Angeles at the Edge of the World studios. As a producer Logan Mader was used, which was best known for his work as guitarist for Machine Head. Most of the songs were written in the house of guitarist Mike Spreitzer and first recorded as a demo. They were then given to Fafara, who then decided the final arrangement. The album was released on CD and as a bonus edition. The latter version contains the 13 original tracks and three bonus tracks and a DVD.

Title list

Music

Musically, DevilDriver Pray for Villains developed in the direction of groove metal. Singer Del Fafara said about this development:

"We have deliberately decided against it as a record with this album even more brutal, even harder and even faster material last time. [ ... ] The new songs have a lot more groove and a much greater dynamic range than previous songs! "

The reason for this step, he said that the band had already proved with their previous albums, they can write fast, hard and brutal songs and that there had therefore been no stimulus to take even tougher songs.

Fafara uses the genre - typical guttural singing in which the voice is distorted by the use of the throat. This is especially the Growling application, a deep, growling vocals.

The complex guitar runs are distinguished primarily by pronounced solos. As is often the case in this genre, the guitar strings are tuned down in many songs by a whole tone, which leads to a violent and brutal sound of the music. In most of the songs Dropped C guitar tuning used.

The electric bass plays the role of an accompanying instrument, which usually supports the melody with fast sixteenth-note runs on all the songs.

Striking also are the extensive drum parts, which are characterized among other things by frequent and fast double bass playing.

Fafara said about guitar and drum runs:

" The guitar work is really incredibly good this time - the solos have really blown over me and the drumming is out of this world! I regret all the kids who are forgiven after this album in their rehearsal room and try the rest of their days to reenact these horny shit. "

Topic

The title of the album Pray for Villains ( in German: "Pray for Villains " ) is intended to show sympathy for anti-heroes. The frontman of the band said in an interview that he has always been able to identify with the anti-hero and that it was this that do the real dirty work. He's primarily to these villains turn out to be good in the end. This issue is beside the eponymous first single from the album also found in other songs, so in Resurrection Blvd, It's in the Cards and Forgiveness Is A Six -Gun. Furthermore, some of the songs deal thematically with hard work and simultaneous optimism. However, in I See Belief and Back with a Vengeance, it 's also about the two sides of the coin, DevilDriver have learned in their careers, namely competition and success. Pure Sincerity is to proclaim the message of the band, says Fafara:

" The song ' Pure Sincerity ' we have written for the people who constantly ask ourselves what is the message of DevilDriver and what is behind this band. ' Give em what theywant, give em what theyneed, pure sincerity. ' This is exactly what we have always gone -. Making our music to our fans and not chasing any trend "

Cover

The cover of the album shows a black owl with outstretched wings and horns. She sits on two crossed bones. The owl is the text line "when your hero lets you down you pray for villains " ( in German: " When your hero makes you fall, you pray for the villain " ) of the song Pray for Villains reflect. The owl is a symbol for both the hero and the villain for, says Fafara. The album cover is the first that does not contain the logo of the band, called the "Cross of Confusion ". This is another indication that the band would continue to develop.

Reviews

Pray for Villains mostly received positive reviews.

Laut.de editor Michael Edele awarded the second highest rating (4 /5) and wrote:

" No question, at DevilDriver, there have been a couple of changes musically. [ ... ] Who should but actually interfere with who has always eggs in their pants and makes hardness only to speed and thrashing fixed. "

On Greg Prato Allmusic wrote that the album proves that Dez Fafara have the nu-metal elements of his old band Coal Chamber filed, and finally turn to the headbanging fury of DevilDriver. He forgave three and a half out of five stars.

Credentials

• Album 2009
• Album ( Metal)