ARTIST: DevilDriver
ALBUM: DevilDriver
RELEASED: 2003

RATING: 8/10
STANDOUT TRACKS: "I Dreamed I Died", "I Could Care Less", "Nothing''s Wrong"

REVIEW: Coal Chamber was one of the ''nu-metal'' pioneers, they had the sound before it was "cool" and overplayed. The band''s albums were good, nothing incredible, but still good nonetheless. However the band seemed to continue to go in a less-heavy, radio-friendly direction with each album, Dark Days being their last official album. The reasoning for this is that vocalist, Bradley "Dez" Fafara wanted to go in a heavier, more metal direction, whereas the rest of the band wanted to go in a more electronic direction. So it is written, so it shall be done; Dez left and formed Devil Driver to explore the kind of music he wanted to make. This album is good and heavy as hell. It really shows a side of Dez''s vocal abilities that no one really knew he had. The only downside is that the lyrics are admittedly, not the most intelligently written and at times rambling ("The Mountain"). The music is heavy but also very catchy, making this a bit more like a really heavy Coal Chamber, rather than the metal band that Dez envisioned. Give this band time and it will truly come into it''s own.