Metal Underground.com

There are bands that put on corpse paint, screech out passages of the Enochian keys, and crucify people on stage. Then there are bands that are a little more subtle and sly in their approach towards emulating the great rebel Lucifer. The Devil’s Blood leans heavily toward the second category, using a “hide in plain sight” strategy. “The Time of No Time Evermore” isn’t a blistering death metal album or a cold and spiteful black metal release, but rather proceeds as a full on rock outing, heavily influenced by the psychedelic bands of the ‘70s.

Satanic rock and roll is an insidious and sinister manifestation of the darker side of music. Listening through “The Time of No Time Evermore” it would be easy to think it was just an exceptionally well produced rock album dated at thirty years or so. It takes some actual scrutiny of the lyrics to realize it’s all about giving the devil his proper due. There are echoes from many different bands from a previous era of music, such as Heart, Blue Oyster Cult, and Thin Lizzy, but the band isn’t a copy and paste affair. The Devil’s Blood works their own style of diabolical rock magic that is recognizable from other acts.

The band’s debut full-length album has the kind of sound that brings to mind a bunch of hippies surrounded by a haze of smoke, if these hippies happened to work for the dark lord Beelzebub. There is a androgynous quality to the vocal work as well, making it hard to tell at times if it’s a man or woman bringing out the harmonies. Lyrics are frequently layered over each other for a more pleasing and slightly ethereal tone, heightening the sense of the magical that the band actively works at.

The Devil’s Blood doesn’t play music that ever actually hits “heavy metal” status, sticking closely to classic rock and hard rock, but they do take a few cues from heavier acts with the backing guitar melodies. As far as the guitar work itself is concerned, the band is spot on, as these songs are practically begging to have some colored notes slide up the screen on Rock Band or Guitar Hero. Each song moves at a brisk pace that is carried along by the overall dark sound. The music doesn’t reach into black metal bleakness, being more restrained and calm, but it is noticeably more downcast than bands of a similar style.

The style will likely please fans of those bands that came about before metal started going extreme, but anyone who likes metal exclusively may find the lack of intensity a bit boring over extended listens. “The Anti-Cosmik Magick” also ends the album on a down note, as the three-and-a-half minute trailing outro of low noise is completely unnecessary. The song easily could have been nine minutes instead of eleven.

“The Time of No Time Evermore” has the darkness and subject matter required to reel in fans of extreme metal who can overlook the total lack of growls or heaviness. Even though the band emulates music from decades past the production doesn’t follow suit, skipping the faded sound and letting each note shine through clearly. Psychadelic rock fans should take particular note of this outing, and earmark The Devil’s Blood as a band to keep their eye on in the future.