There isn’t a lot of information out there on The Devil’s Blood. It seems that they prefer to let their music do the talking, as it is even difficult to find out who is actually in the band. That approach works well when the music is up to the task, and in the case of The Thousandfold Epicenter, it is. The Devil’s Blood play what I would call 70’s inspired occult rock. This style has seen quite a resurgence in recent years, but these guys have managed to forge their own unique identity among their peers.

The Thousandfold Epicenter is a bit of a slow burning album. It isn’t particularly heavy by metal standards, but the album is dominated by assertive, hard-driving rock riffs. Vocalist F/TDB/MOS (I swear, this is her stage name) delivers her lines with a powerful, yet sultry croon that reminds me of a mixture of Stevie Nicks and Doro Pesch. The different effects that are subtly woven into the background of the songs help build atmosphere without ever really becoming a distraction. Everything is pulled together perfectly by a rich, warm sound that recalls the analogue productions of days long gone. The songs themselves are generally quite good; “Cruel Lover” and “Die the Death” stuck in my head immediately, while “She” and “Fire Burning” gained footing with repeated listens. The album is full of highlights, but I found the later third of the album to be a bit of a slog. The last three songs just don’t meet the standard that the band set for itself early on in the album. They seem to wander a bit too much and sap the momentum that had had been building over the course of the first eight tracks. This isn’t enough to ruin the album, however; it just knocks it down a notch or two.

The Devil’s Blood excels at creating atmosphere with their music. On the surface The Thousandfold Epicenter could pass for your typical happy-hippy 70’s style rock, but a dark undercurrent runs just beneath the surface of the album. The attentive listener will quickly pick up on this and find a rock album with a bit of a black metal vibe. It’s quite an accomplishment, really, and even though the tail end of the album drags a bit I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anybody who enjoys this type of music. Whether you are an aging Hawkwind fan or somebody just discovering bands like Witchcraft and Ghost, this is an album that you need to spend a little time with.

TRACK LISTING

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*Comments:

1.  Unending Singularity
2.  On the Wings of Gloria
3.  Die the Death
4.  Within the Charnel House of Love
5.  Cruel Lover
6.  She
7.  The Thousandfold Epicentre
8.  Fire Burning
9.  Everlasting Saturnalia
10.  The Madness of Serpents
11.  Feverdance

Total playing time:  74:00

Release Date: January 17th, 2012
Label: Metal Blade Records

The Devil’s Blood - The Thousandfold Epicenter

Reviewer: Garett

March 30, 2012