By Greg Fristick
Scottish metalcore band, DVL, released their sophomore album, Hush, via WormHoleDeath Records on Friday, May 27, 2022. Hush is the follow up to their 2013 independent release, The Pawn That Took the King. Hailing from Glasgow, DVL are strikingly similar in sound to Avenged Sevenfold. Expect DVL to be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come. Now for a track-by-track breakdown of the album.
The album kicks off with blistering, yet melodic riffs on Among Us. This track is packed full of changes throughout. From the riffs to the blast beats and breakdowns, coupled with melodic vocal, Among Us is how an album should be started. Musicians, take notes.
Dead Man’s Switch kicks in with an eerily heavy intro and takes a step back to midtempo verses before kicking into overdrive during the choruses. A harmonic solo leads into the bridge and is followed by a massive breakdown and a scorching guitar solo.
Eternity is the latest single from Hush. The band has released a video for the song, which you can view HERE. More shredding kicks off this track. Then some gutturals followed by clean vocals and hooky chorus. This track goes back and forth from clean and dirty vocals. A very A7X like bridge is sandwiched between a dark an eerie solo and a scorching solo. That guitar/bass harmony is off the hook!!
Dread comes in full force with a brutal intro. Dread gives you a little bit of everything. From super melodic vocals with harmonies, to a bridge/breakdown section with perfect gutturals, and killer solos. The song closes with yet another killer breakdown. FUCKKKKKKK!
Parasomnia is a heavy midtempo rocker with killer riffs and melodic vocals from start to finish (almost). The song ends with clean guitars with a classical influence.
The Pitch. My favorite song from the album. Not because it is the most technical song on the album, it’s because it’s the hidden gem mixed right in the middle of all the tasty riffs and brutality. This song is so different from anything else on the record. An eerie pitch to the devil to buy your soul. I also got a taste of an acoustic version of the track. Absolutely stellar work, guys! Next single? It should be.
Hallows contains some traditional and power metal style guitar riffs. It also has some thrash elements mixed in, but still stays true to the metalcore sound. The break or bridge section is so haunting. This music could fit right into a horror movie. This is my pitch for that to happen. I also love the counterpoint style harmonies. Kudos!
Stranger… is yet another haunting song. These guys could seriously write an entire soundtrack to a horror movie. Maybe that’s what this is, and we just don’t know it yet. The string arrangements in this track are top notch and my favorite solo of the album.
Next up is Trial by Fire. I hear hints of early thrash influence in this track. As with most of the album, Trial By Fire is full of tasty riffage, melodic vocals, and a bone crushing bass/drum combo.
Title track, Hush, is a metalcore masterpiece. Oh wait, the entire album is a masterpiece. Masterful riffs, amazing vocals, a brutal breakdown, a guttural vocal part sprinkled in with a clean twist to end the track.
BONUS TRACK: Snakeskin was not part of the original press release that I received. However, it accompanies the rest of the album quite nicely. This is the most straightforward rock song on the album. Heavy, yet it has a groove that will leave you yearning for more. Although a bonus track, this has the potential to be a single. Something, something…bumfuck Alabama lol
End notes: Scotland’s A7X. DVL is a force to be reckoned with. If you are a fan of metalcore, and have been longing for something new, I would highly recommend that you check this album out. It’s an absolute masterpiece from start to finish. I need to track down their 2013 debut and check it out as well. Come to the states, guys!!!