Review Summary: A fun addition to the post-post-hardcore cannon, and an unexpected achievement in the form of what will probably be Chiodos's last release.
Chiodos is something I’ve been missing. Chiodos’s fourth full length, Devil is sure to annoy the hell out of many listeners, particularly fans of the band’s previous LP, Illuminaudio. However, the inevitable difference between the two albums should not deter any listeners from giving Devil a chance. The record contains some of Chiodos’s catchiest, most engaging, and enjoyable material in their career, and is a worthy follow-up and in a similar vein to the stellar Bone Palace Ballet. While a few grievances have not quite been fully tweaked yet, such as the lyrics, Devil proves to be nothing less than charmingly poppy and accessible but also a brutal, necessary addition to the band’s body of work.
There are also plenty of moments where Bone Palace fans will feel completely at home with Chiodos’s progression. The first three tracks (“We’re Talking about Practice”, “Ole Fishlips is Dead Now” and “Why the Munster’s Matter”) along with the colossal “Expensive Conversations”, ignoring its sometimes eye-rolling lyrics, are prime examples of classic, high-energy, bombastic Chiodos. Anyone disappointed with the technically-impressive yet overall uninspired Illuminaudio will have their doubts blown away by tracks like these.
It’s definitely not all familiar terrain, however. Other moments on the album show variety in the best ways. Tracks like “Looking for a Tornado” and “Sunny Days & Hand Grenades” venture out into intriguing territory before coming back to familiar ground with destructively infectious choruses. It’s moments like these where you can easily see Chiodos experimenting more, and having huge fun with it, as these are some of the most enjoyable songs in the hand’s catalogue.
The vibe-oriented “Duct Tape” shows Chiodos taking their music a more experimental route, though it will surely lose many listeners along the way. I, however, am a big fan of the sinister track. Though it may not be as dynamic as the first few songs, the creepy tones in the song really create a natural atmosphere for Craig Owen’s greatly improved vocals and his eerie delivery.
The ultra-heavy “Behvis Bullock” is almost like an homage to grindcore cemented in place by a melodic chorus. The juxtaposition of the two may not be for everyone, as the track contains some of the heaviest moments in Chiodos’s discography. Though the album shows the band venturing into new territory with a lot of success, almost every song is branded as a Chiodos song by a distinct, catchy chorus. The only exception is the track “I’m Awkward and Unusual”, which lives up to its name, though it is redeemed by some excellent guitar-work, keeping the song from overstaying its welcome.
On the lighter tracks of the album, Chiodos shows they don’t need to be dark and heavy to make a song memorable. “3 am” thrives off its giant and self-reflective chorus, which make the song as a whole highly successful and at home on the record. Towards the end of the album, the smooth versus of “Under Your Halo” carry the song delightfully, although the chorus does come off as a little too saccharine and make the track more difficult to sit through. It’s not a bad song whatsoever, but its exact placement on the album feels somewhat unwarranted and may have served better elsewhere.
Then, closer “I Am Everything That’s Normal” slowly comes on. Though less devastating than previous closer “The Undertaker’s Thirst For Revenge…”, the triumphant closing track on Devil is not any less brilliant. Here, Owens shines throughout the monstrous track during the entire 5 minute duration, and the dominating chorus of “I will be unstoppable” gives the listener little reason to doubt this bold statement. The track leads out for another four minutes with awkward electronic noise and voices, and would have suited the song better had it been reduced significantly, as the purpose of the outro is not clear whatsoever.
It shouldn’t even need to be said that this record will win over too many new Chiodos fans, and it’s got far too many whiny “Craig-isms” to not repel those who aren’t fans to begin with. The lyrics don’t hold the album back, but still don’t quite manage to be consistently evocative. And the addition of Tom Erak to the band may not be as satisfying as some would have hoped; because the mix of the album lets some of the more intricate work he and guitarist Pat McManaman weave together take backseat behind other instruments. However, overlooking these slight flaws, this is an extremely fun, delightfully varied, and fully satisfying come-back record. I’ve found that repeated listens helped strengthen my appreciation of the record and Chiodos’s direction. It not only shows Chiodos, complete with former members and new ones altogether, in top-form and comfortable with where they are now, but also that they are more promising than they ever have been before.
Favorite tracks:
“Looking For a Tornado”
“Expensive Conversations in Cheap Motels”
Really anything off the first half.
Least favorite tracks:
The bridge of "Sunny Days & Hand Grenades"
