Blame It On The Devil brings everything that’s great about heavy metal to the party - killer guitars, a drummer with about thirty different speeds, a bassist with the chops to keep up with everyone else, and a metal vocalist who communicate the lyrics passionately without having to resort to the soaring falsetto of hair metal or the classical notes of Bruce Dickinson. There’s also the electro-digital hints that keep the sound as fresh as the smell of burnt rubber on pavement. It’s not exactly unique, but it’s close and it’s the next best thing: high quality and listenable repeatedly. This is a fun album if you’re a metal fan. The title track brings the heavy early and often, while “Overdose” begins with definite flavors of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” before settling into the signature melodic crunching and growling that saturates this record.

 

Mystical and horror-themed imagery permeate this record, reflecting the usual tropes of metal since Black Sabbath chose their name, Vincent Furnier decided to name his band after the witch Alice Cooper, and the Parents Music Resource Center tried to do their best to freak out over “dangerous” lyrics. From the title track through “Into The Light,” “Will Not Die,” “Dirtier Than Sin,” all the way to the closer “Devil’s Reprise,” this album is a veritable playlist of everything Bible Belt-types hate.

 

Deadstar Assembly display serious musical chops, from DreGG’s guitar licks, to drummer Kriz D.K.’s percussive mastery, all the way to the rhythms provided by The Dro and Mubo on bass and keyboards respectively. DSA fail to help reverse the sad decline of the guitar solo, keeping their style closer to Godsmack and Papa Roach at their heavy best rather than Skid Row and Iron Maiden. This doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the record, but I’d sure love to see more bands let their players soar some during their tunes. Deadstar Assembly’s Blame It On The Devil cranks, and it could easily find space in any metal fan’s collection.