You just have to like a release which makes a more than solid first impression but then almost sneaks up on you song by song to present itself as one seriously enjoyable and impressive slab of rock ‘n’ roll. This is what Devil Feeder does. Consisting of thirteen stoner and grunge bred roars, the new album from Norwegian metallers Tripod is a sizeable proposition from its first play but over time and as mentioned almost track by track, becomes something irresistible. It is not an encounter stretching boundaries or redesigning templates but it is an album to leaves ears and pleasure full to bursting with its enterprise and inspiring passion.
Formed in 2002, its Nordfjordeid / Trondheim hailing creators have been stirring up appetites and attention for a long time and especially since their Trøndercore Records released debut album Nevermind This Black Album came out in 2008, though it was with its successor Four Coins in 2012 that Tripod awoke even broader awareness of their sound. In saying that though, the quintet did already a successful tour of China under their belts before it’s unveiling. A subsequent remix of the album came next after producer Beau Hill (Warrant, Ratt, Twisted Sister, Alice Cooper) approached the band with that intention, followed by a line-up change which saw guitarist Jørgen Sporsheim Berg link up with vocalist Knut Arne Lillestøl, guitarist Stein-Inge Øien, bassist Espen Bjørnholt, and drummer Åge Solheim. The recording of Devil Feeder began in 2013 and here we are, with one increasingly thrilling and potent release from a band it is easy to suspect will breach even richer attention through it.
The release opens with Safe Place and a gentle inviting stroking of guitar. It is a coaxing soon lifting its restrained skirt to unleash rampant rhythmic kicks and a muscular dance of guitar and great varied vocals. It is an instantly gripping and infectious proposal revealing that Tripod has a sound which embraces both grunge and stoner with the urgency of tenacious rock ‘n’ roll. There is also a melodic charm and enterprise to the song which only captures the imagination as the opener launches the album off in fine and robust style.
The following Love Stake reveals a great predacious tone is lurking within the bass of Bjørnholt and ready to enslave emotions as a blues kissed sonic weave escapes the craft of the guitars. There is a hard rock essence to the song as well as a Stone Temple Pilots blaze to its sonic and emotive textures, two rich spices aligning to the potent vocals of Lillestøl. The song as the first, roars in its own individual way before letting the album’s title track throw some heavy metal ferocity and folk metal like drama into the maelstrom of adventure brewing up within Devil Feeder. The track bewitches with every twist and fusion of those respective fiery and melodic flavours, leaving thoughts and passions engrossed before making way for the more reserved and gentle I Used To. It and the following Possible open up more varied colouring to the album, the first of the two a soulful croon under blues rock shaded gradually tempestuous skies and the second a song venturing into rock pop scenery with rumbling rhythms and also a changeable melodic climate. Both songs lively simmer in the passions compared to the earlier songs, but each still holds attention and appetite for the album firmly in their enterprise.
The next up Zubr is something different again, a bordering on bedlamic swagger of rhythms from drummer Solheim within a tantalising weave of groove metal enticing, immediate incendiary bait for ears and emotions. It is when the song flirts with a System Of The Down like invention and devilry that the track explodes into an even greater breath-taking and thrilling beast. The best track on the album, it leaves ears and desires greedily hungry for more, something not as forcefully provided by Meant to Be, though it’s piano and stringed ballad like beauty is still a pleasure embracing the senses. Breaking out emotional and physical sinews the deeper into its presence it goes, the track reveals yet another facet to the songwriting and imaginative songwriting of Tripod, with increasing enjoyment coming with every listen.
Ride is next and straight away it is stirring the air with raucous riffs and a throaty bassline within a web of jabbing beats. On top of this appealing proposition Lillestøl provides a flame of passionate and lyrical energy but it is the brush of strings and ever shifting landscape of the song which impresses and excites the most. We said earlier that the album does not exactly set new unique markers down but with songs like this and of course Zubr it is a thought challenged at times.
The pair of Inside My Head with its blues rock spiced bellow and All for Granted fascinates and pleases if without rising to the heights of the previous and other songs t. The latter features some magnetic female vocals to rival the strength and range of Lillestøl and easily leaves ears wanting more, a request fed to some degree by the rebellious rock ‘n’ roll of What You Wanted where grunge and rock pop collude to design another contagious success within Devil Feeder.
The excellent We Own the Night stands before ears next with an intensity which is not exactly a brawl in attitude but certainly has a rebellious nature to its muscular flexing and sonic creativity. There are moments like here where Tripod remind of fellow Norwegians Pigeon Lake in the ability to fuse varied styles in one confrontational yet welcoming storm of enterprise, a craft shown again in the closing If I Die, a piece of emotional and melodic melodrama with a beauty and imagination which ignites the imagination and seduces ears.
It is a potent and masterful end to a quite refreshing and inescapably enjoyable album. Rock ‘n’ roll is there to be anthemic, invigorating, and passionate, all things fuelling Devil Feeder with high grade potency. With the additional inventiveness and devilment which Tripod also adds though, it becomes a must search out and enjoy recommendation.
Devil Feeder is available now!
https://www.facebook.com/Tripodofficial
RingMaster 21/01/2015
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