Review Summary: Refreshingly different take on the technical metal/grind hybrid genre. Short, fast and ferocious, Devilica's 11:11 EP is sure to make an impact on those who enjoy grindcore akin to that od old Dillinger Escape Plan and such.
Grind is one of those genres - some bands are just naturally brilliant at creating music in the genre and some, no matter what they do, just don't cut the mustard. In the case of experimental grind outfit Devilica, they have successfully managed to create some kind of tech-grind hybrid that works. With a dash of accessibility shining through every now and again, coupled with some truly ferocious heaviness, mayhem has never been so interesting. If I was to give a few bands that had a similar sound, take old Dillinger Escape Plan, Destroyer Destroyer, Converge and perhaps something even more insane (PsyOpus come to mind) and blend it all together. Revoltandchaosdotcom opens the EP up in exquisite fashion. After the introductory sample, the track bursts forth with blazing pace. One thing that has to be said about this band is that they are tight - as tight as gnat's ass to be fair. One section in the song feels so fast that you think if Slayer took ecstasy they wouldn't be able to keep up.
Heartless Heart boasts some nifty little jazz breaks in between the heavy sections. Again, the skill of each member cannot be denied - the musicianship is excellent. My personal favourite from the EP comes in the form of Truth Hurts But Pain is Temporary. After little over a minute and a half of hardcore/grind sections, the song takes an unexpected turn, in the form of a clean guitar section accompanied by clean vocals. This is where Devilica manage to separate themselves from the masses of technical grind bands out there. These accessible sections definitely lend a lot to the sound of Devilica. A Journey of One Fine Man brings us back to the traditional mesh of metalcore and grind, with speedy "jun-wee" riffs and jazzy sections. Rhythms are offbeat and off kilter almost constantly, with the vocals following these for the most part. Another thing that can be said is the vocals are pretty undecipherable, which is hardly surprising considering the genre.
The final two tracks, each under two minutes each, combine all the aforementioned elements into one neat package. A Funky Fairytale of An Angel reminds me of Norma Jean almost, particularly the vocals and their production. The drumming shifts back and forth between straight time keeping and quick, precise fills. Breakdown riffs akin to that of metalcore are also here, but it fits the sound pretty well. Even if you aren't a big fan of metalcore, this would be well worth a look. Honey Its Already 3.60 Am Now is another standout track. Tempo changes galore and technicality in abundance, the final riff is a joy to hear, with trills bouncing around over the top of the drums.
It's certainly refreshing to hear a band that meld technical metal with certain elements of hardcore and grind in this way. Whilst the EP is certainly very short (just over 11 minutes), it can be said that the quality of the tracks on offer is superb. If you're looking for something a little different, then Devilica may just be the band to check out.
Recommended Tracks
Revoltandchaosdotcom
Truth Hurts But Pain Is Temporary
Honey Its Already 3.60AM Now
