DevilDriver
Encyclopedia
DevilDriver is an American heavy metal
band from Santa Barbara
, California
, formed in 2002. The band was originally named Deathride, however, due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, Deathride changed its name to DevilDriver, which refers to bells Italian witches used to drive evil forces away.
The band's self-titled
album was not well received by some music critics. Their second album, The Fury of Our Maker's Hand
received a better reception with critics, and entered the Billboard 200
at number 117.
Jon Miller had formed a band with drummer John Boecklin and guitarist Jeff Kendrick in high school. The band was called Area-51 and played cover versions of Metallica
, Slayer
, and Pantera
. Miller, Boecklin and Kendrick met Coal Chamber
vocalist Dez Fafara
while he was in the process of recording the album Dark Days with Coal Chamber in 2002. The three were playing in a local band and talked to Fafara who said he was thinking about leaving Coal Chamber. Fafara said "Hey you guys write some heavy shit, and I want to get out of Coal Chamber". Fafara hosted several barbecues after moving from Orange County
to Santa Barbara and would jam with musicians he met, which lead to the formation of the band. Guitarist Evan Pitts met Fafara in a restaurant and gave him his phone number for a jam session, while John Boecklin who originally played guitar then played drums, met Fafara at a bar.
The band was originally known as Deathride, but later changed their name to DevilDriver because Fafara felt there were too many bands with that name; a band in Norfolk, Virginia, and a bicycle racing team. Another problem was that the band's label, Roadrunner Records
were unable to secure copyright. The members compiled a list of roughly two hundred names to go for a more original approach. Fafara's wife had a book by Italian witchcraft author Raven Grimassi
on Stregheria
, and came across the term 'devil driver'. The term 'devil driver' refers to bells Italian witches used to drive evil forces away. Fafara thought it was appropriate because it sounded "evil", and thought the term "suits his life". The band's logo is the Cross of Confusion, which has existed for thousands of years and refers to "question religion, question authority, question everything around you". Fafara was brought up to "question everything" and was exposed to Italian witchcraft through his grandparents.
DevilDriver's debut record was originally going to be called Thirteen, and then Straight to Hell. However, Fafara claims it was changed "for so many reasons that I can't even go into." The band's self-titled debut DevilDriver
, was released on October 23, 2003 under Roadrunner Records
, and entered the Top Heatseekers
chart at number 17. Guitarist Pitts wrote roughly 90% of the music, according to Mike Spreitzer
, who replaced Pitts after his departure from the band. Music critics response to the album was generally negative. Allmusic reviewer Johnny Loftus commented that elements in the songs "Die (And Die Now)" and "Swinging the Dead" redeem an otherwise disappointing album and hoped the band would focus less on the mainstream
.
ranch, 200 miles (321.9 km) away from El Paso, Texas
. The band members wanted to be isolated when recording the album so they could solely focus on the music as friends, family, managers and girlfriends would constantly interrupt. Roughly 30 songs were written which were narrowed down to 15 by the band. The 15 songs were then played for producer Colin Richardson
who wanted to begin tracking immediately.
The name of the album was thought of by Fafara who believed that The Fury of Our Maker's Hand
refers to the "storm" his life has been the past 10 years, "You have your maker's hand and I have my maker's hand and we both living in our fury, the fury of our maker's hand. It explains my life". The album was released on June 28, 2005 and debuted on the Billboard 200
chart at number 117, with sales of 10,402 in its first week. The album also debuted at number 1 on the Top Heatseekers
chart. Johnny Loftus of Allmusic described the album as "a severe turn away from the falter of their first album" and said that the band made their "true debut the second time around". Dom Lawson of Kerrang!
gave the album a positive review describing the album as a "fresh and exhilarating approach to modern metal".
The band toured extensively in support of the album, which included shows in the United States, Europe, and Australia in support of bands such as In Flames
, Fear Factory
, and Machine Head
. The band played for the first time as a headliner in the Burning Daylight Tour. On October 31, 2006, The Fury of Our Maker's Hand was re-released to include three new studio tracks, including "Digging up the Corpses" which was featured on the soundtrack to Resident Evil: Apocalypse
. The release also contained three live recordings of previously released, a DVD of all of the band's music videos, new cover art, and inside liner notes.
, which was released in June 2007. The album's first single "Not All Who Wander Are Lost" was directed by Nathan Cox for free. Cox's career began when he created Coal Chamber's music video "Loco", so he re-paid a favor to Fafara and the band. Cox now directs music videos for bands such as Linkin Park
and Korn
. The first song to be previewed was "Horn of Betrayal" which debuted on Sirius Satellite's Hard Attack channel on May 16, 2007. The Last Kind Words entered the German charts at number 92, and peaked at number 48 on the Billboard 200
, with over 14,000 copies sold.
DevilDriver promoted the album at the 2007 Download Festival
at Donington Park
alongside headliners Linkin Park, Iron Maiden
, and My Chemical Romance
. A Guinness world record was attempted by the band for the "largest circle pit" at the festival. Guinness responded to the query and denied the request stating they receive over 60,000 requests a year and there is no way to physically define where a circle pit starts and ends. They considered the proposal fully in the context of the subject area and stated that "our decision is final in this matter".
The band also appeared at 2007's Ozzfest
. Fafara had been planning to take his first six weeks off in 11 years, but Sharon Osbourne
, who had managed Fafara's previous band Coal Chamber
, persuaded him to appear. At a concert in Detroit, Michigan, a recording was made with the intention of releasing a live DVD in 2008 although this has yet to be released.
DevilDriver's songs "Devil's Son" and "Driving Down the Darkness" were featured in the TV show Scrubs
, and in 2008 they covered the Iron Maiden
song "Wasted Years
" for the Kerrang!
compilation Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden. The song "Clouds Over California" became available as a download for the music video game Rock Band
.
was released on July 14, 2009, debuting at #35 on the Billboard 200
, with estimated sales of around 14,600, improving on their previous effort, The Last Kind Words
, which debuted at #48.
On February 21, 2009, the band performed in Australia at the Soundwave Festival with bands such as Lamb of God and In Flames. After finishing their Melbourne show, they announced that their new album would be released July 14, 2009. The band also toured in the Midwest states in mid-May 2009 with bands such as Slipknot
, 3 Inches of Blood
and All That Remains
. They also completed a European Tour with several other bands such as Behemoth
and Suicide Silence
.
In March 2010, DevilDriver participated in 2010's Getaway Rock festival, which was held in Gävle, Sweden and began on July 8 and ended on the 10th. The band will also be included in an extensive UK tour in November 2010 with 36 Crazyfists
.
was recorded at Sonic Ranch studios in Tornillo, Texas with producer Mark Lewis, and released February 22, 2011. John Boecklin confirmed that the new album was mixed by Andy Sneap
at his Backstage studio in Derbyshire, England in July. The online Beast E-Team, created by Daniel Wells and Sean Smith
, was mostly responsible for crashing Roadrunner Records
systems on Monday, January 10, 2011, when the first single "Dead to Rights" was released for download. DevilDriver went on a tour in Australia with bands such as Iron Maiden
, Slayer
, All That Remains
and Nonpoint
for the Soundwave Festival in February and March 2011.
Jonathan Miller, the band's bassist since the time of its formation, took a break from the band to attend rehab. On March 30, it was announced that Miller and DevilDriver would part ways permanently, in the interest of Miller's continuing recovery. Devildriver opened for Danzig
along with 2Cents
in 2011 supporting Danzig's 2010 release, Deth Red Sabaoth
, and are preparing for a North America tour with Chthonic
and Skeletonwitch
supporting Arch Enemy.
and melodic death metal
. All of the members have stated they are influenced by several types of music (some not even found within the heavy metal genre), Miller's influences include Metallica
, Opeth
, Slayer
and In Flames
, and states that many of the bands he tours with influences his songwriting. Fafara's influences include Johnny Cash
, and Motörhead, stating he likes people with "low voices". Members of DevilDriver can be seen on Machine Head's Elegies DVD citing Machine Head
as an influence.
Boecklin's main inspiration into becoming a percussionist came from his enjoyment of Metallica
, Primus
and Ministry
.
Former members
Touring members
EPs
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band from Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, formed in 2002. The band was originally named Deathride, however, due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, Deathride changed its name to DevilDriver, which refers to bells Italian witches used to drive evil forces away.
The band's self-titled
DevilDriver (album)
-Personnel:*Dez Fafara - vocals*Evan Pitts - guitar*Jeff Kendrick - guitar*Jon Miller - bass*John Boecklin - drums*Mike Doling- guitar on "Devil's Son"...
album was not well received by some music critics. Their second album, The Fury of Our Maker's Hand
The Fury of Our Maker's Hand
-Notes:* "Unlucky 13" and "Guilty As Sin" were tracks recorded during the sessions for The Fury of Our Maker's Hand.* "Digging Up the Corpses" is an outtake from their self-titled DevilDriver album...
received a better reception with critics, and entered the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
at number 117.
Formation and self-titled album (2002–2004)
At the age of fifteen, bassistBassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Jon Miller had formed a band with drummer John Boecklin and guitarist Jeff Kendrick in high school. The band was called Area-51 and played cover versions of Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
, and Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
. Miller, Boecklin and Kendrick met Coal Chamber
Coal Chamber
Coal Chamber is an American alternative metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1993. Prior to Coal Chamber, Dez Fafara and Meegs Rascón formed the band She's In Pain in 1992. The two decided to create Coal Chamber. They disbanded in 2003 after ten years together, but announced a reunion in...
vocalist Dez Fafara
Dez Fafara
Bradley James 'Dez' Fafara is the current vocalist for DevilDriver and the recently reformed Coal Chamber.-Personal life:Dez is of Portuguese and Italian, specifically Sicilian descent...
while he was in the process of recording the album Dark Days with Coal Chamber in 2002. The three were playing in a local band and talked to Fafara who said he was thinking about leaving Coal Chamber. Fafara said "Hey you guys write some heavy shit, and I want to get out of Coal Chamber". Fafara hosted several barbecues after moving from Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
to Santa Barbara and would jam with musicians he met, which lead to the formation of the band. Guitarist Evan Pitts met Fafara in a restaurant and gave him his phone number for a jam session, while John Boecklin who originally played guitar then played drums, met Fafara at a bar.
The band was originally known as Deathride, but later changed their name to DevilDriver because Fafara felt there were too many bands with that name; a band in Norfolk, Virginia, and a bicycle racing team. Another problem was that the band's label, Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
were unable to secure copyright. The members compiled a list of roughly two hundred names to go for a more original approach. Fafara's wife had a book by Italian witchcraft author Raven Grimassi
Raven Grimassi
Raven Grimassi is the pen name of an Italian-American author, publishing on the topics of Neo-paganism and witchcraft. He is perhaps best known for his popularization of Stregheria, a neopagan revival of "Italian witchcraft"....
on Stregheria
Stregheria
Stregheria is a form of ethnic Italian form of Wicca originating in the United States, popularized by Raven Grimassi since the 1980s. Stregheria is sometimes referred to as La Vecchia Religione The word stregheria is an archaic Italian word for "witchcraft", the modern Italian word being...
, and came across the term 'devil driver'. The term 'devil driver' refers to bells Italian witches used to drive evil forces away. Fafara thought it was appropriate because it sounded "evil", and thought the term "suits his life". The band's logo is the Cross of Confusion, which has existed for thousands of years and refers to "question religion, question authority, question everything around you". Fafara was brought up to "question everything" and was exposed to Italian witchcraft through his grandparents.
DevilDriver's debut record was originally going to be called Thirteen, and then Straight to Hell. However, Fafara claims it was changed "for so many reasons that I can't even go into." The band's self-titled debut DevilDriver
DevilDriver (album)
-Personnel:*Dez Fafara - vocals*Evan Pitts - guitar*Jeff Kendrick - guitar*Jon Miller - bass*John Boecklin - drums*Mike Doling- guitar on "Devil's Son"...
, was released on October 23, 2003 under Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
, and entered the Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart at number 17. Guitarist Pitts wrote roughly 90% of the music, according to Mike Spreitzer
Mike Spreitzer
Michael Colin Spreitzer is one of the guitarists of the American heavy metal band DevilDriver. He replaced guitarist Evan Pitts in 2004...
, who replaced Pitts after his departure from the band. Music critics response to the album was generally negative. Allmusic reviewer Johnny Loftus commented that elements in the songs "Die (And Die Now)" and "Swinging the Dead" redeem an otherwise disappointing album and hoped the band would focus less on the mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
.
The Fury of Our Maker's Hand (2005–2006)
The band returned to the studio in 2005 to record their follow-up to DevilDriver. The album was produced at Sonic Ranch Studios, a 1400 acres (5.7 km²) pecanPecan
The pecan , Carya illinoinensis, is a species of hickory, native to south-central North America, in Mexico from Coahuila south to Jalisco and Veracruz, in the United States from southern Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana east to western Kentucky, southwestern Ohio, North Carolina, South...
ranch, 200 miles (321.9 km) away from El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. The band members wanted to be isolated when recording the album so they could solely focus on the music as friends, family, managers and girlfriends would constantly interrupt. Roughly 30 songs were written which were narrowed down to 15 by the band. The 15 songs were then played for producer Colin Richardson
Colin Richardson
Colin Richardson is a British record producer, mixer and recording engineer. He has worked on over 100 albums, and is most frequently associated with heavy metal and its subgenres such as:*Anathema*As I Lay Dying*Behemoth*Bullet for My Valentine...
who wanted to begin tracking immediately.
The name of the album was thought of by Fafara who believed that The Fury of Our Maker's Hand
The Fury of Our Maker's Hand
-Notes:* "Unlucky 13" and "Guilty As Sin" were tracks recorded during the sessions for The Fury of Our Maker's Hand.* "Digging Up the Corpses" is an outtake from their self-titled DevilDriver album...
refers to the "storm" his life has been the past 10 years, "You have your maker's hand and I have my maker's hand and we both living in our fury, the fury of our maker's hand. It explains my life". The album was released on June 28, 2005 and debuted on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart at number 117, with sales of 10,402 in its first week. The album also debuted at number 1 on the Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart. Johnny Loftus of Allmusic described the album as "a severe turn away from the falter of their first album" and said that the band made their "true debut the second time around". Dom Lawson of Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
gave the album a positive review describing the album as a "fresh and exhilarating approach to modern metal".
The band toured extensively in support of the album, which included shows in the United States, Europe, and Australia in support of bands such as In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
, Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
, and Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
. The band played for the first time as a headliner in the Burning Daylight Tour. On October 31, 2006, The Fury of Our Maker's Hand was re-released to include three new studio tracks, including "Digging up the Corpses" which was featured on the soundtrack to Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Resident Evil: Apocalypse is a Canadian-British 2004 science fiction action horror film directed by Alexander Witt, from a screenplay written by producer Paul W.S. Anderson...
. The release also contained three live recordings of previously released, a DVD of all of the band's music videos, new cover art, and inside liner notes.
The Last Kind Words (2007–2008)
The band reunited at Sonic Ranch Studios while they recorded their third studio effort, The Last Kind WordsThe Last Kind Words
*Note: Dez Fafara's 9 year old son Simon Fafara provides guest vocals in "Tirades of Truth".-Personnel:* Dez Fafara – Vocals* Mike Spreitzer – Guitar* Jeff Kendrick – Guitar* Jon Miller – Bass* John Boecklin – Drums...
, which was released in June 2007. The album's first single "Not All Who Wander Are Lost" was directed by Nathan Cox for free. Cox's career began when he created Coal Chamber's music video "Loco", so he re-paid a favor to Fafara and the band. Cox now directs music videos for bands such as Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
and Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
. The first song to be previewed was "Horn of Betrayal" which debuted on Sirius Satellite's Hard Attack channel on May 16, 2007. The Last Kind Words entered the German charts at number 92, and peaked at number 48 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, with over 14,000 copies sold.
DevilDriver promoted the album at the 2007 Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
at Donington Park
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
alongside headliners Linkin Park, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, and My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
. A Guinness world record was attempted by the band for the "largest circle pit" at the festival. Guinness responded to the query and denied the request stating they receive over 60,000 requests a year and there is no way to physically define where a circle pit starts and ends. They considered the proposal fully in the context of the subject area and stated that "our decision is final in this matter".
The band also appeared at 2007's Ozzfest
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
. Fafara had been planning to take his first six weeks off in 11 years, but Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Rachel Osbourne is an English television host, author, music manager, businesswoman and promoter as well as the wife of heavy metal singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne....
, who had managed Fafara's previous band Coal Chamber
Coal Chamber
Coal Chamber is an American alternative metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1993. Prior to Coal Chamber, Dez Fafara and Meegs Rascón formed the band She's In Pain in 1992. The two decided to create Coal Chamber. They disbanded in 2003 after ten years together, but announced a reunion in...
, persuaded him to appear. At a concert in Detroit, Michigan, a recording was made with the intention of releasing a live DVD in 2008 although this has yet to be released.
DevilDriver's songs "Devil's Son" and "Driving Down the Darkness" were featured in the TV show Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
, and in 2008 they covered the Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
song "Wasted Years
Wasted Years
"Wasted Years" is the fourteenth single released by Iron Maiden and the first from their Somewhere in Time album. It's the only song on the album that features no synthesizers. Released in 1986, it was the first single solely written by guitarist Adrian Smith, who also sings backing vocals...
" for the Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
compilation Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden. The song "Clouds Over California" became available as a download for the music video game Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
.
Pray for Villains (2009)
Their fourth album Pray for VillainsPray for Villains
-Notes:* "Self-Affliction" and "Dust Be the Destiny" were recorded during the album's sessions.* "Damning the Heavens" is a bonus track from The Last Kind Words that was available on the US Hot Topic Only Edition of that album....
was released on July 14, 2009, debuting at #35 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, with estimated sales of around 14,600, improving on their previous effort, The Last Kind Words
The Last Kind Words
*Note: Dez Fafara's 9 year old son Simon Fafara provides guest vocals in "Tirades of Truth".-Personnel:* Dez Fafara – Vocals* Mike Spreitzer – Guitar* Jeff Kendrick – Guitar* Jon Miller – Bass* John Boecklin – Drums...
, which debuted at #48.
On February 21, 2009, the band performed in Australia at the Soundwave Festival with bands such as Lamb of God and In Flames. After finishing their Melbourne show, they announced that their new album would be released July 14, 2009. The band also toured in the Midwest states in mid-May 2009 with bands such as Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
, 3 Inches of Blood
3 Inches of Blood
3 Inches of Blood is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in 2000 in Vancouver, British Columbia, currently consisting of Cam Pipes, Justin Hagberg, Shane Clark, and Ash Pearson...
and All That Remains
All That Remains (band)
All That Remains is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, which formed in 1998. They have released five studio albums, a live CD/DVD, and have sold nearly 800,000 records...
. They also completed a European Tour with several other bands such as Behemoth
Behemoth (band)
Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They are considered to have played an important role in establishing the Polish extreme metal underground, alongside bands such as Vader, Decapitated, Vesania and Hate....
and Suicide Silence
Suicide Silence
Suicide Silence is an American extreme metal band from Riverside, California. The group consists of vocalist Mitch Lucker, guitarists Chris Garza and Mark Heylmun, drummer Alex Lopez and bassist Dan Kenny. Formed in 2002, the band has released three full-length studio albums, one EP and seven music...
.
In March 2010, DevilDriver participated in 2010's Getaway Rock festival, which was held in Gävle, Sweden and began on July 8 and ended on the 10th. The band will also be included in an extensive UK tour in November 2010 with 36 Crazyfists
36 Crazyfists
36 Crazyfists is a four-piece metal band originating from Anchorage, Alaska. They are now based in Portland, Oregon. The band's name comes from a Jackie Chan movie, Jackie Chan And The 36 Crazy Fists...
.
Beast (2010-present)
DevilDriver's fifth album BeastBeast (DevilDriver album)
Beast is the fifth studio album by groove metal band DevilDriver. It was released on February 22, 2011 in the US. It is also their last album to feature longtime bassist Jon Miller who left in 2011.-Recording and production:...
was recorded at Sonic Ranch studios in Tornillo, Texas with producer Mark Lewis, and released February 22, 2011. John Boecklin confirmed that the new album was mixed by Andy Sneap
Andy Sneap
Andy "Undie" Sneap is an English record producer, recording engineer, mixer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is best known for producing and mixing many acclaimed heavy metal albums.-Musician:...
at his Backstage studio in Derbyshire, England in July. The online Beast E-Team, created by Daniel Wells and Sean Smith
Sean Smith
Sean Smith may refer to:* Sean Smith American film director and screenwriter* Sean Smith , American football cornerback* Sean Smith , former American football player for the New England Patriots...
, was mostly responsible for crashing Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
systems on Monday, January 10, 2011, when the first single "Dead to Rights" was released for download. DevilDriver went on a tour in Australia with bands such as Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
, All That Remains
All That Remains (band)
All That Remains is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, which formed in 1998. They have released five studio albums, a live CD/DVD, and have sold nearly 800,000 records...
and Nonpoint
Nonpoint
Nonpoint is an American nu metal band formed in 1997. The band consists of Elias Soriano and Rob Rivera . Currently they are signed to Razor & Tie and working on new a record which is expected to be released in Spring 2012....
for the Soundwave Festival in February and March 2011.
Jonathan Miller, the band's bassist since the time of its formation, took a break from the band to attend rehab. On March 30, it was announced that Miller and DevilDriver would part ways permanently, in the interest of Miller's continuing recovery. Devildriver opened for Danzig
Danzig (band)
Danzig is an American heavy metal band, formed in 1987 in Lodi, New Jersey. The band serves as a musical outlet for the singer/songwriter Glenn Danzig. Danzig can be seen as the third stage in Glenn Danzig's musical career, preceded by the horror punk bands The Misfits and Samhain...
along with 2Cents
2Cents
2Cents is a metal band from Malibu, California, known for their energetic live performances andextensive touring history.- History :2Cents was formed by brothers, Adam and Dave O’Rourke who shared a mutual love of metal bands like Pantera and Slayer as well as Southern California punk bands such as...
in 2011 supporting Danzig's 2010 release, Deth Red Sabaoth
Deth Red Sabaoth
Deth Red Sabaoth is the ninth studio album by Danzig, released on June 22, 2010 through Evilive/The End Records. Deth Red Sabaoth marked Danzig’s highest-charting album since the release of Danzig 4p in 1994.-Background:...
, and are preparing for a North America tour with Chthonic
Chthonic (band)
Chthonic is a Taiwanese metal band, formed in 1995 in Taipei. The group incorporates influences from traditional Taiwanese music including the classical Asian instrument erhu...
and Skeletonwitch
Skeletonwitch
Skeletonwitch is an American heavy metal band from Athens, Ohio formed in 2003. The band currently consists of drummer Dustin Boltjes, vocalist Chance Garnette, bassist Evan Linger, and guitarists Nate Garnette and Scott Hedrick...
supporting Arch Enemy.
Musical style and influences
DevilDriver's music has been widely described an amalgamation of groove metalGroove metal
Groove metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It was often used to describe Pantera and Exhorder.- Characteristics and origins :Pantera's Cowboys from Hell album from 1990 was described as "groundbreaking" and "blueprint-defining" for the groove metal genre...
and melodic death metal
Melodic death metal
Melodic death metal is a heavy metal music style that combines elements from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with elements of death metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia...
. All of the members have stated they are influenced by several types of music (some not even found within the heavy metal genre), Miller's influences include Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Opeth
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. Though the group has been through several personnel changes, singer, guitarist, and songwriter Mikael Åkerfeldt has remained Opeth's driving force throughout the years...
, Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
and In Flames
In Flames
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. Since the band's inception in 1993, they have released ten studio albums and one live DVD...
, and states that many of the bands he tours with influences his songwriting. Fafara's influences include Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, and Motörhead, stating he likes people with "low voices". Members of DevilDriver can be seen on Machine Head's Elegies DVD citing Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
as an influence.
Boecklin's main inspiration into becoming a percussionist came from his enjoyment of Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Primus
Primus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
and Ministry
Ministry (band)
Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
.
Band members
Current members- Dez FafaraDez FafaraBradley James 'Dez' Fafara is the current vocalist for DevilDriver and the recently reformed Coal Chamber.-Personal life:Dez is of Portuguese and Italian, specifically Sicilian descent...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
(2002–present) - Mike SpreitzerMike SpreitzerMichael Colin Spreitzer is one of the guitarists of the American heavy metal band DevilDriver. He replaced guitarist Evan Pitts in 2004...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(2004–present) - Jeff Kendrick - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(2002–present) - Johnathan Boecklin – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(2002–present)
Former members
- Evan Pitts- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(2002–2004) - John Miller-bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2002–2011)
Touring members
- Aaron "Bubble" Patrick-bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2010–present)
Discography
Studio albums| Year | Album details | Peak charts positions | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Heat. Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
AUT Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
FRA Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
GER Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
NLD MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
SWI Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
||
| 2003 | DevilDriver DevilDriver (album) -Personnel:*Dez Fafara - vocals*Evan Pitts - guitar*Jeff Kendrick - guitar*Jon Miller - bass*John Boecklin - drums*Mike Doling- guitar on "Devil's Son"...
|
— | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | The Fury of Our Maker's Hand The Fury of Our Maker's Hand -Notes:* "Unlucky 13" and "Guilty As Sin" were tracks recorded during the sessions for The Fury of Our Maker's Hand.* "Digging Up the Corpses" is an outtake from their self-titled DevilDriver album... |
117 | 1 | — | — | 153 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | The Last Kind Words The Last Kind Words *Note: Dez Fafara's 9 year old son Simon Fafara provides guest vocals in "Tirades of Truth".-Personnel:* Dez Fafara – Vocals* Mike Spreitzer – Guitar* Jeff Kendrick – Guitar* Jon Miller – Bass* John Boecklin – Drums... |
48 | — | 46 | — | 147 | 92 | — | — | 94 |
| 2009 | Pray for Villains Pray for Villains -Notes:* "Self-Affliction" and "Dust Be the Destiny" were recorded during the album's sessions.* "Damning the Heavens" is a bonus track from The Last Kind Words that was available on the US Hot Topic Only Edition of that album.... |
35 | — | 35 | 61 | 112 | 64 | 92 | 74 | 60 |
| 2011 | Beast Beast (DevilDriver album) Beast is the fifth studio album by groove metal band DevilDriver. It was released on February 22, 2011 in the US. It is also their last album to feature longtime bassist Jon Miller who left in 2011.-Recording and production:... |
42 | — | 9 | 40 | 144 | 43 |
100 | 59 | 51 |
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | ||||||||||
EPs
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Head on to Heartache Head on to Heartache -Sources:Information Official Roadrunner page...
|
Music videos
- "I Could Care Less"
- "Nothing’s Wrong"
- "Hold Back the Day"
- "End of the Line"
- "Not All Who Wander Are Lost"
- "Clouds Over California"
- "Pray for Villains"
- "Fate Stepped In"
- "Another Night in London"
- "Dead To Rights"