The Devil’s Blood – The Thousandfold Epicentre

When you hear that a band’s main themes are Chaos, Death and Satan, you well expect its music to be closer to black metal. But that’s not the case here. Coming from the Netherlands, The Devil’s Blood is a hard rock band that incorporates a very vintage sound. Take early Black Sabbath, put in a little bit of Coven and a little bit of Jefferson Airplane and there you have it. On 11/11/11, The Devil’s Blood released their second full-length album, “The Thousandfold Epicentre”. It only takes a few seconds for the opening track “On The Wings OF Gloria”  to demand your full attention.

The Devil’s Blood keep their trademark sound, as we know it from their debut “The Time Of No Time Evermore”. Melodic, almost ritualistic music, with classic rock guitar riffs galore and hypnotizing female vocals form the core sound of this band.  Late 60s and 70s psychedelic rock mix with progressive parts and some doom elements that bring out a darker, gloomier atmosphere.

The voice of F, “the mouth of Satan” as they call her, adds another dimension to the music with her amazing high pitched vocals and falsettos, as well as with her lower, warmer and more earthly singing. The main component of the songs remains the extraordinary guitar work. SL, as Selim Lemouchi is known, the mastemind of The Devil’s Blood, decided to use no less than three electric guitars, let alone the acoustic ones. The solos on “She” can easily blow your mind. As for the rhythm section, I can’t say much. The job done by M and J is simply impressive. “Cruel Lover” is an excellent sample of that.

However, what allows The Devil’s Blood to go beyond being merely good, is their exceptional use of texture throughout the album. Choirs, organs, strings, all these strange and outlandish noises are skillfully  combined with arrangements to create a beautiful atmosphere that has the power to covey a spectrum of emotions from melancholy to ecstasy. Just take a listen to “Die The Death”, “The Madness Of Serpents”, or “Fire Burning” with the beautiful hammond melody. The title track, “The Thousandfold Epicentre”, stands out with its mesmerizing orchestral intro. “Everlasting Saturnalia”, the only ballad of this album, offers a calm break, with more mellow guitars and ethereal and dreamy melodies.

The final verdict is this∙ “The Thousandfold Epicentre” is a great album that stands out from the pack. Classic, timeless sound, haunting melodies and dark energy, all come together to offer you 74 minutes of a trip to the past that you will love. Their music is a work of art with true depth and vision. Amazing, artful and classy.