Review Summary: Are you feeling it now, Mr. Krabs?
For all the numerologists out there, Feel It is Bible of the Devil’s seventh full-length album as well as their first album to come out in seven years. Fortunately, the gap since 2012’s For the Love of Thugs & Fools hasn’t diminished the Chicago group’s style all that much. On the contrary, they continue to straddle the line between hard rock and classic metal while a noticeably raw production job brands this particular album as one of their higher energy efforts.
At the very least, the enthusiasm behind the band’s musicianship is absolutely contagious. The rhythm section sets up a powerful foundation as the drums are packed with echoing crashes and battering hits while the bass pops at Steve Harris levels of overbearing delight. The guitars reflect that Maiden influence further with a slew of gallops, harmonies, and hearty helpings of sleaze. The vocal delivery admittedly strains at times, but the lines and hooks cater to the range well enough for it to not be an issue.
The songwriting is also pretty tight, offering plenty of no-bull*** rock anthems without getting too basic. The most memorable songs seem to be on opposite ends of the aisle as “Love At (The Speed of Night)” takes on an almost glam flavor while the closing “Ultra Boys” aims for more drama with contrasting dynamics and mid-tempo pacing. Faster songs like “Ride Steel” and the frolicking “Idle Time” round things out quite nicely and a solid forty-one-minute runtime helps keep things concise.
While Feel It isn’t the strongest album under the Bible of the Devil banner, it’s great to see the band sustaining their brand of classic metal twenty years into their career. This sort of Thin Lizzy meets KISS sound is always enjoyable in itself, but the songwriting wouldn’t be quite as effective without such infectious playing. This is feel-good rock ‘n roll meant to be played live and I imagine it working well with their fellow Chicagoans in High Spirits.
Highlights:
“(Love At) The Speed of Night”
“Idle Time”
“Ultra Boys”
Originally published at http://indymetalvault.com
