Released by: Century Media
Release Date: Out Now!!!
Genre: Heavy Metal
Links: https://www.facebook.com/KillDevilHillMusic
Line Up:
Rex Brown
Vinny Appice
Mark Zavon
Dewey Bragg
Tracklist:
01. No Way Out
02. Crown Of Thorns
03. Leave It All Behind
04. Why?
05. Wake Up The Dead
06. Long Way From Home
07. Where Angels Dare To Roam
08. Stained Glass Sadness
09. Endless Static
10. Stealing Days
11. Life Goes On
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, most of the time when a band comprised of members of other bands is given the label super group, it typically falls drastically short of the mark. So-called “super groups” are usually made up of former members of bands that weren’t usually in the forefront, and if they were the super group phrase is just tossed in to give the band undeserved clout. Very few established bands deserve to be called super when you get down to it. A couple years ago when I heard that Rex Brown (former bassist of Pantera and Down) and Vinny Appice (former Black Sabbath and Dio drummer) were putting together a band it was instantly touted as the next big super group. I admit, I was skeptical about it, but once I heard their s/t debut and then had the opportunity to see them live along with vocalist Dewey Bragg and guitarist Mark Zavon I realized that there might likely be an act worthy of this overused term.
Now the band is back with their sophomore release, the one that can make or break them in many senses. If the album fails to match the awesomeness of their first one, then Kill Devil Hill will fall into obscurity as so many other bands have over the years. As with the super group term, KDH was also viewed as a side project for the two legends. Rex and Vinny both have started many times publicly that this is their new band, and whatever they have done in the past is best left there and they plan on many years of excellent releases. As I sit here listening to Revolution Rise I’m thinking they both realized what they had on their hands and were eager to pounce it upon their fans because simply put, this album kicks much ass. Everything I loved about their first album is still firmly intact here: great songs, outstanding performances, and a fire and passion devoid in most bands these days. Instead of resting on their lengthy careers and status in the business, they’re writing songs that are heavy, groovy, and classic- showing that just because they’re an known entity in the world, they want to forge ahead with a new sound. With brilliant tracks like “Wake Up the Dead,” “Leave It All Behind,” “Where Angels Dare To Roam,” and “Life Goes On” the band continues with their mix of doom grooves with an old school metal sensibility topped with a splash of Alice In Chains-esque vocals on top. The dynamics between Brown and Appice strengthen the masterful guitar work of Zavon, plus the haunting vocals of Bragg are on point.
Very few new bands “do it” for me. Some show great potential yet miss the mark. Others are downright awful and should just pack it up and find a different dream to pursue. Kill Devil Hill has managed to take this grumpy writer and give him some hope in the future of music. Revolution Rise is a superior follow-up to the amazing debut of this band that is truly living up to the label super group. If you enjoyed their last album, then you will certainly enjoy this one. Kill Devil Hill is here to stay and I, for one, am damn glad of it.
Written by Chris Martin
Ratings Chris 8/10
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