Californian groove metal band DevilDriver are newly streaming “Dig Your Own Grave” as the lead single from their just announced eleventh studio album “Strike And Kill“. Recording sessions for this next outing from the Dez Fafara-fronted (also of Coal Chamber) band took place with producer Jason Suecof (Trivium, All That Remains). Today’s cut serves as the opening track on that 13-song album and it emerges online after an initial airing on SiriusXM.
“Strike And Kill” is the first collective output from the band since welcoming in Enterprise Earth guitarist Gabe Manfold last year, following the departure of Mike Spreitzer. It will be meeting a July 10th release through Napalm Records. Fafara opened up on both the album itself and this introductory track. Speaking of the record, he stated:
“My headspace hasn’t changed, I have not become complacent or soft in my view of the world or in my music. Metal is our outlet as listeners and writers, so on this record we focused on ‘getting it all out’ lyrically, and backing those lyrics with savage, relentless music that fuels the heavy California groove like no other. DevilDriver has never sounded like any other band, we do our own thing in our own way, and I’m the most proud of that.
I’m so proud of these musicians, this music, and the vibe around this record. DevilDriver sounds like no one else out there right now, we are here to ‘Strike And Kill‘!”
As for “Dig Your Own Grave” and its Mike Matsui-directed (Of Mice & Men, DONT YOUR DARE) video, he offered:
“‘Dig Your Own Grave‘ is about how one wrong decision, one wrong move can see your whole world turned upside down, effectively ‘digging’ your own grave… it’s that simple.
It can also refer to how your decisions can fuck someone else. This is why there’s the line ‘Six feet ain’t deep enough for you,’ because only a deep, deep hole is fitting for what you’ve done or tried to do to others. Be careful when you choose to make decisions at midnight.”
An official press release dug further into what the band have cooked up with “Strike And Kill“:
‘Wasting no time, the album bursts open with the incendiary ‘Dig Your Own Grave,’ a flurry of assault rifle kicks and crunchy riffs encircle the listener casting them into the waiting abyss before transitioning into ‘Dead in the Water,‘ showcasing the vibrant melodeath tapestries of master guitar duo Alex Lee and Gabe Mangold.
‘Sanctified In Scars‘ implements industrial pulsating beats and ethereal sonic textures, sanctifying Fafara‘s venomous voice with blackened tremolo excellence. The album’s title track ‘Strike and Kill‘ is a reconciliation of hardships and lessons learned, built upon the backs of blisteringly technical riffage and dizzyingly swift drumming by Davier Perez.
Tracks like ‘In the Moonlight‘ and ‘Never Coming Home‘ wrap listeners in serenely blissful guitarmonies, elevating the brutality with elegance and emotion. ‘Ride or Die‘ unleashes pure metal inertia, pulling listeners in with unrelenting force. Exemplifying their technical edge with tracks like ‘Headed for the Fall‘ and ‘You’re just a Ghost,’ the band embraces mind-bendingly off-kilter patterns that spin listeners’ heads.
‘Summoning Shadows‘ offers the albums longest respite from carnage, with textured acoustic guitars building tension before the band comes crashing back in with triumphant power. ‘Shut the Silence On‘ and ‘Oath of Iron‘ get super thrashy with their ballsy riffage and blast beats, before ‘All Bets are Off‘ brings things to a cataclysmic conclusion.’
“Strike And Kill” track listing:
01 – “Dig Your Own Grave“
02 – “Dead In The Water“
03 – “Sanctified In Scars“
04 – “Strike And Kill“
05 – “In The Moonlight“
06 – “Ride Or Die“
07 – “Headed For The Fall“
08 – “Shut The Silence On“
09 – “Never Coming Home“
10 – “Summoning Shadows“
11 – “You’re Just A Ghost“
12 – “Oath Of Iron“
13 – “All Bets Are Off“
Pre-orders are available through lnk.to/DevilDriver-StrikeAndKill. A summer headlining tour has been booked in support of the record, with Texan groove metal/deathcore band Upon A Burning Body and blackened deathcore band Ov Sulfur set to open. Presales will be available with the code ‘DYOG777’.
08/14 San Diego, CA – Observatory North Park
08/15 Las Vegas, NV – Brooklyn Bowl
08/16 Phoenix, AZ – Marquee
08/18 San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theater
08/19 Austin, TX – Come and Take It Live
08/20 Houston, TX – House of Blues
08/22 Dallas, TX – House of Blues
08/23 Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom
08/25 Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
08/26 Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
08/29 Colorado Springs, CO – Sunshine Studios
08/30 Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
09/01 Boise, ID – Treefort Music Hall
09/02 Reno, NV – Club Underground
09/03 Sacramento, CA – Goldfield
09/04 San Jose, CA – The Ritz
09/05 Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
