This week sees the re-release of Plot And Debauchery, the debut album of UK alternative rock band This Devastated Fan. It is a captivating album which certainly deserves another airing before the ears of the nation, its offering of thirteen evocative and passionate songs a compelling brew of invention and melodic persuasion. Nicely varied and impressively sculpted the release takes emotions and thoughts on a magnetic ride through heart bred adventures, and though arguably it fails to ignite the passions enough times to be classed as a classic introduction, it leaves satisfaction and pleasure the overriding emotion within a fuelled hunger towards the stylish songwriting and presentation of the quartet.
Formed in 2006, the current line-up of brothers vocalist/guitarist Robbie and drummer Jamie Cavanagh, guitarist Will Rogers, and bassist Steve Alday has spent the past 18 months hitting the UK and Europe hard with their live shows which has seen them play alongside the likes of Public Image Limited and The Birthday Suit. With a sound which seemingly combines inspirations from the likes of Manchester Orchestra, Alexisonfire, Biffy Clyro, and Idlewild in to something fresh and potent, the album has the richness and promise to exploit the stronger awareness and stature of the band this time around.
From the opener Shoulder The War, band and release grabs attention with ease, the song itself a smouldering persuasion that deals in 
tender emotions and passionate crescendos rife with incisive guitar work, firm rhythms and the excellent vocals of Robbie Cavanagh. There is a great niggle to the throat of the bass too which tempers and compliments the melodic flames honed by the guitars, it all combining to create a track thick with expression and enterprise. It is a strong start which fluidly evolves into Calvery Cemetery, NYC; another song where gentle coaxing from sound and vocals leads to multiple climaxes of explosive passion and melodic fire. Lyrically the band has a depth and impact which talks thoughts and feelings into creating reflective connections, and certainly this track creates richly hued scenery for their narratives.
Through the more than decent REM like Contingency Plan, the album reaches higher pinnacles with the pair of aural beacons, Sounds Like Sirens and Bambi Woods. The first of the two is a mesmeric beckoning with whispers of Green Day and Brand New to its warm brew of tangoing rhythms, melodic charm, and teasing basslines. Once again the band proves themselves majestic in creating infectious hotspots and choruses within songs, here the brighter burn of melodies and tantalising lures striking and tempting to secure a place in the rapidly growing hunger for the album. Its successor is an excellent blend of hard rock sinew and taunting indie rock feistiness, the result a song that swaggers with a firm prod of confrontation and riveting invention leaving senses and emotions leaping to join its pleasing canter.
The likes of the enflamed An Assembly Of Witches, the closely hugging Carnivore, and the slightly sinister Conversation Killer, wrap the ear and thoughts in weaves of passion and emotional colour, each track and across the whole album to be honest, dripping with incandescent heart and inciting personal observation. Though the songs fail to make the same lingering impact as some of the earlier tracks they all leave a welcome bait in place for a return, the last of the three and the impressive Murder which lies amongst them, creative fascinations that hook you back to the album and ignites the appetite with skilled and instinctive majesty. The same can be said of Barricade, a track which has a feel of Placebo to its steely yet mellow sonic claws and melodic engrossment.
Completed by the final emotive call of the ballad Heathen Rage, the album is a vibrant coaxing which defies any real criticism even if it fails to send the passions into overload as much as it probably should have. Plot And Debauchery is so full of promise and imagination though that you feel it will only be a matter of time before This Devastated Fan creates that undeniable classic. Watch this eager space we say whilst enjoying a rather satisfying album.
8/10
RingMaster 12/08/2013
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