Artist: Chiodos
Album: Devil
Genre: Post-hardcore
Label: Razor & Tie

It’s hard to believe that it’s been seven years since the last time Chiodos released an album with Craig Owens at the helm. It’s been four years since the band released any new music for that matter. It’s been a long time coming, and fans will finally get to hear what the band has been working so as of late. Owens stated that this new album would be more mature, self-reflective and basically “whatever the band wants.” He made it known that they weren’t writing these new songs based on fans’ expectations, but based on what they as musicians want. They haven’t written music together in so many years it’s really hard to know what to expect. The band gave us a preview this past summer when they started performing “Expensive Conversations In Cheap Motels” live at Warped Tour. It was heavy, exciting and energetic. So what else are we going to get from Devil?

“U.G. Introduction” is a short intro that opens up the album. It features some classic Chiodos instruments including a piano and violin. It quickly ends though and “We’re Talking About Practice” starts up. As far as sound, this song is about as close as you will get to old school Chiodos. It’s enjoyable and has an infectious chorus that will too easily get stuck in your head. Near the end of the song it slows down a bit for a brand new verse before jumping right back into the chorus. The following track is the first digitally released single, “Ole Fishlips Is Dead Now.” Making this song the first single was a great idea. Not only is this one of the best songs on the album, the internet imploded just a little bit with fans going crazy over it. Owens delivers his lyrics masterfully, and his unclean vocals fit perfectly with the energy of the song.

I have to admit, I was slightly disappointed the first time I heard the entire album all the way through. After singles like “Expensive Conversations,” “Behvis Bullock” and “Ole Fishlips Is Dead Now” I was hoping the entire album would have more of that kind of energy. I personally tend to prefer the heavier elements, but the diversity of this album is certainly a welcomed one once you hear it all pieced together. “Under Your Halo” is the prime example of that diversity. We haven’t really heard very many love songs from these guys so for some fans it may be a bit strange to hear. Though this is a well-written song lyrically, I don’t feel that it is one of their best.

Everyone has their favorite song on an album. For this one, mine is ”Expensive Conversations In Cheap Motels.” I feel that this song has the perfect blend of each element of the band and let’s face it – Thomas Erak shreds. This is the aggression I love to hear in their music, and it reminds me of some of their older stuff. Aside from the previous songs I’ve mentioned, another favorite of mine is “3 AM.” I know this is another one of their slower songs, but if you were wondering where Owens’ self-reflection came into play this is definitely it. The overall sound of the song is a mix between Cinematic Sunrise and DRUGS. It has a bit of that pop feel but is definitely still a rock song.

Chiodos are known for their over-the-top theatrics, so naturally the final song on the album is larger than life. Though this song doesn’t pack the same kind of punch as some of the more fast-paced songs, it’s definitely still powerful lyrically. It opens up with Owens crooning over a piano and violins, then the rest of the band drops in. The first five minutes of the song contain actual music from the band, whereas the remainder of the track is mostly glitchy audio, repeating vocal samples, and various light piano parts.

There is no doubt that Owens can write a catchy hook. He has proved that time and time again in his work with Chiodos, DRUGS and other endeavors. His lyrics have changed, and you can certainly hear his self-reflection in many of the songs. With all of that being said though, would it be wrong of me to prefer the old Chiodos? We all knew going into this that the album most likely wasn’t a Bone Palace Ballet Pt. 2, but I, at the very least, can’t help but feel a little disappointed there were only a handful of songs with the same aggression as “Behvis Bullock.” All in all though, this is a very artistic and thoughtful album.

Many early-2000s fans of Chiodos may not want to give Devil a chance because it’s definitely different. By not listening to it with an open mind though you will be doing yourself an injustice. Whether you are listening to it for Owens, Thomas Erak or simply because you love this band, it’s worth your time to listen to Devil a few times through and stop comparing it to their previous works. The individual band members have changed over the years, and naturally, so has the band as a whole.

SCORE: 8/10
Review written by Kriston McConnell

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Kriston McConnell

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