Pray for villains
| Pray for villains | ||||
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| Studio album by DevilDriver | ||||
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Publication |
2009 |
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| Label (s) | Roadrunner Records | |||
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Format (s) |
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Title (number) |
13 |
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running time |
56:15 |
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Studio (s) |
Edge of the Earth Studios |
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Pray for Villains is the fourth studio album by the American metal band DevilDriver . It was released in July 2009 by the music label Roadrunner Records . Around 14,600 copies of the album were sold in the first week and it debuted at number 35 on the Billboard charts.
Emergence
Pray for Villains was recorded in Los Angeles at the Edge of the World studios. Logan Mader , who became known through his work as a guitarist at Machine Head , was used as the producer . Most of the songs were written in the house by guitarist Mike Spreitzer and initially recorded as a demo. They were then given to Fafara, who then decided on the final arrangement . The album was released on CD and as a bonus edition. In addition to the 13 original titles, the latter version also contains three bonus tracks and a DVD.
Track list
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Chart positions Explanation of the data |
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- Pray for Villains - 4:02
- Pure Sincerity - 4:38
- Fate Stepped In - 5:10
- Back with a Vengeance - 3:40
- I've Been Sober - 5:16
- Resurrection BLVD - 3:58
- Forgiveness is a Six Gun - 4:33
- Waiting for November - 5:06 am
- It's in the Cards - 4:24
- Another Night in London - 3:05 am
- Bitter Pill - 4:24
- Teach Me to Whisper - 4:01
- I See Belief - 3:54
music
Musically DevilDriver develops on Pray for Villains in the direction of Groove Metal . Singer Dez Fafara said of this development:
“We made a conscious decision against recording even more brutal, even harder and even faster material with this album than last time. [...] The new pieces have a lot more groove and a much greater dynamic than previous songs! "
As a reason for this step, he said that the band had already proven with their previous albums that they can write fast, hard and brutal songs and that there was therefore no incentive to record even harder songs.
Fafara uses the genre- typical guttural singing in which the voice is distorted by the use of the throat. The growling, a deep, growling song, is mainly used.
The complex guitar runs are mainly characterized by strong solos. As is often the case in this genre, the guitar strings are tuned a whole tone lower in many songs, which leads to a heavier and more brutal sound of the music. Most songs use the Dropped-C guitar tuning.
The electric bass plays the role of an accompanying instrument in all songs, which usually supports the melody with fast sixteenth-note runs.
Also striking are the extensive drum parts, which are characterized, among other things, by frequent and fast double bass playing .
Fafara said of guitar and drum runs:
“The guitar work is really incredibly good this time - the solos really blew me away and the drumming is out of this world! I feel sorry for all the kids who move to their rehearsal room after this album and try to play this hot shit until the end of their days. "
Subject
The title of the album Pray for Villains (in German: "Pray for villains") is supposed to show sympathy for antiheroes. The band's front man said in an interview that he has always been able to identify with the antihero and that it is he who does the real dirty work. He is primarily concerned with these villains, who turn out to be good in the end. This theme can be found in the album's eponymous first single as well in other songs, such as 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. But I See Belief and Back with a Vengeance are also about the two sides of the coin that DevilDriver have got to know in their careers, namely competition and success. Pure Sincerity is supposed to herald the band's message, says Fafara:
“We wrote the song 'Pure Sincerity' for people who keep asking us what the message of Devildriver is and what's behind this band. 'Give em what they want, give em what they need, pure sincerity.' This is exactly what it has always been about - to make our music for our fans and not to chase any trend. "
Cover
The cover of the album shows a black owl with spread wings and horns. She sits on two crossed bones. The owl should reflect the line of text "when your hero lets you down you pray for villains" (in German: "If your hero drops you, you pray for the villain") of the song Pray for Villains . The owl is a symbol of both the hero and the villain, says Fafara. The album cover is the first one that does not contain the band's logo, the so-called "Cross of Confusion". This is another indication that the band wants to develop further.
Reviews
Pray for Villains received mostly positive reviews.
Laut.de editor Michael Edele awarded the second highest rating (4/5) and wrote:
“No question about it, there have been a few changes musically at DevilDriver. [...] But if that should actually bother you, you have no balls in your pants anyway and only attaches hardness to speed and beating. "
Greg Prato wrote on Allmusic that the album proves that Dez Fafara has shed the Nu-Metal elements of his old band, Coal Chamber , and is finally turning to the head- banging rage of DevilDriver. He awarded three and a half stars out of five.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Chad Bowar: A Conversation with Vocalist Dez Fafara. (No longer available online.) About.com, July 29, 2009, archived from the original on November 6, 2011 ; accessed on January 2, 2011 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b c d DEVILDRIVER's FAFARA, KENDRICK Discuss 'Pray For Villains'. (No longer available online.) Blabbermouth.net, August 10, 2009, formerly original ; accessed on January 2, 2011 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b c d e album on Roadrunner Records. Retrieved January 2, 2011 .
- ↑ Charts DE Charts AT Charts CH Charts UK Charts US
- ↑ Michael Edele: Dez Fafara and Co. rely on fat grooves and melodies. laut.de, accessed on January 2, 2011 .
- ^ Greg Prato: Review on Allmusic. Allmusic, accessed January 2, 2011 .
