So I took a chance on 'Epicloud'; having no idea what to expect other than material that would be not what I expect from Dev. This is the first DTP record I've picked up so far.
Well, it's not metal. It's a lot of things, but metal is not one of them. Equal amounts of hard rock, introspection, melody, grandiose gestures and sheer beauty, but not metal. The closest it comes to that is the re-recording of 'Kingdom'. It's also a shamelessly happy album, full of genuine mirth and moments that make you grin, not out of humour but out of the fact they're written to make you feel GOOD.
It's pretty simple stuff: most songs are formed around a central riff or vocal line, come in, do their thing, and then leave again. There are no forgettable tracks on here; everything has a strong hook that will have you humming or tapping along for days. I can't get the demented, stomping boogie chorus of 'Lucky Animals (The New Beige)' out of my head. 'Save Our Now' very nearly made me burst into tears, and music has done that to me but twice before.
The musicianship is great too - The guitars and bass stick to pretty simple (in Dev terms) riffs, which is what the songs need in fairness - these are not complex songs, and would suffer from needless embellishments. The keys are a nice touch when they come in, and the vocals are well written and well performed. Dev rarely descends to his manic screech; this album is 99% melodic and all the better for it. Female counterpart Anneke is also a great part of the album's appeal.
This has definitely been one of my best purchases thus far; although I can't help but feel a little sad. Whilst I'd love to see a Strapping reunion, I can't help but feel that Dev has completely outgrown metal. That said, with an album like this, that sadness is fleeting, replaced by an Effervescent quality that just leaves you craving More!
Sorry. Couldn't resist.
10/10
