Devildriver is back on the road.
Led since its inception by Dez Fafara (vocals, Coal Chamber), the band is now joined by Jon Miller (bass), Davier Pérez (drums, ex-Great American Ghost), Alex Lee (guitar, ex-Bonded by Blood, ex-Holy Grail), and Gabe Mangold (guitar, Enterprise Earth), the band signed to Napalm Records has announced the release of its eleventh album, Strike and Kill, for the summer of 2026.
We kick things off with Dig Your Own Grave, a furious and incredibly catchy track that offers a touch of modernity in its aggression most likely due to recent lineup changes but Devildriver’s identity remains intact, letting Mr. Fafara scream just as he did twenty years ago. The leads blend perfectly with the thick riffs that hit without mercy, before a softer final leads into Dead in the Water and its melancholic touch, which contrasts with the pure violence that follows – a dark edge that fits the band perfectly. The catchy patterns are still there, making it easy to bang our heads, and we even savor the tortured solo before moving on to Sanctified In Scars, which offers a slightly slower approach but is also dedicated to neck-breaking and other crowd movements for the band’s upcoming live shows. The moshpart is devastating on this track, then Strike and Kill” darkens the atmosphere even further as it begins before charging forward, dragging us into its wild ride while the rhythm section pounds away. The mosh pit is devastating on this track, then Strike and Kill darkens the atmosphere even further as it kicks off before charging ahead, dragging us into its frenzied rush while the rhythm section pounds away at a brisk pace, benefiting from a superb mix that highlights its massive sound. The album continues with In the Moonlight, a track with a much calmer intro, even allowing the vocalist to slip in some clean vocals before the rage takes over again, and what started out as a ballad transforms once more into an explicit invitation to headbang, though with a few softer tones in the choruses. The track gives us a moment to catch our breath before charging ahead again with Ride or Die, a composition where it’s obvious the mosh pit won’t stand still, screaming and thrashing as the band plays it, then we move on to Headed for the Fall, a fairly upbeat track that wastes no time hitting full throttle, riding the momentum of its predecessor. The leads allow the chorus to stand out before Shut the Silence On takes over, maintaining the jerky, jagged approach characteristic of Groove Metal that the band unleashes with fury, particularly during the mosh part, followed by Never Coming Home, where the sound becomes almost unsettling, whether in the vocals or the harmonics between waves of fury. Another brief interlude with Summoning Shadows, which starts off as a laid-back track, blending riffs with clean vocals, and remains that way until halfway through the song, when the distortion ignites the action, leading us into You’re Just a Ghost, where the sound is initially heavy, then becomes imposing and aggressive once more, almost majestic during the choruses. The end of the album approaches with Oath of Iron, which brings back all the violence of the previous tracks, followed by All Bets Are Off, which delivers the final dose of virulent riffs while introducing some more surprising tones, bordering on dark dissonance, before a crushing end.
The fresh blood has clearly done Devildriver good, as they deliver devastating compositions on Strike and Kill, though sometimes a bit different from what one might expect. Fans will be thrilled to rediscover the energy of the early days!
90/100