When Devildriver turned up at the signing tent earlier today, the queue stretched all the way across the arena to the already-humming urinal stands on the other side. No surprises then that when they finally get a chance to play in the mid-afternoon, the Hellfest attendees turn out in force.
Having toured relentlessly for the past five years and put in an already-legendary appearance at the Download festival the previous weekend, the band are confident and expectations are high. Nothing could quite have prepared for what follows though.
Clouds Over Clisson
The circle pits are forming before they even strike a note and when they play the opening chords of Clouds Over California, it’s like being sucked into a whirlwind. Closely followed by the rarely-played Die (And Die Now) from their self-titled debut, the violence starts to get a little out of control and more than one person is seen staggering away with bloody noses before the song reaches it’s climax.
Located at the heavier end of the mainstream metal spectrum, Devildriver are so intense today that their recent desires to be the next Pantera don’t seem too far off. Front man Dez Fafara especially is a star, a tattooed, gravel throated madman who has once and for all cast off his dodgy nu-metal past.
Modern American Metal Live In France
Packing an impressive ten tracks into their forty minute running time, the band play an almost exact mix of old and new; airing just as many songs from the debut as they do from their blinding third album. They also give the fans a taste of things to come with Pray For Villains, the title track for their upcoming fourth record which despite being relatively unknown, is treated like a beloved old friend.
As the grooves fly left, right and centre and dozens of maniacs are borne aloft on the hands of their companions, it doesn’t seem as if things can improve until the band unleash their now traditional finale. Urging the crowd to spread out, Dez and the boys goad Hellfest into possibly the largest circle pit the festival has ever seen. Enough dust to choke an elephant gets churned up as Meet The Wretched blasts through the speakers and it just gets bigger as more and more people are sucked into it. One bloke in a wheelchair even gets caught up and goes charging in with his fists swinging.
Dez Fafara has had an uphill struggle ever since he formed Devildriver but if anything, today emphatically demonstrates why he has transformed from a laughing stock into a modern heavy metal hero. Coal Chamber be damned, today Devildriver were awesome and Pray For Villains should only make them stronger. The Court Jester is dead, all hail the King.
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