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Philadelphia’s DEVIL MASTER have been spitting in the face of convention since forming in 2016 with their raw, twisted brand of death rock meets black metal punk mayhem. Manifestations is a compilation of DEVIL MASTER’s full catalog, two sold out demos from 2016 & 2017 (Tape & Inhabit the Corpse); remixed, remastered, and sounding more malevolent than before; plus available on vinyl together for the first time. Debut full-length album coming early 2019.
Our take: Philadelphia’s Devil Master took the world by storm with a pair of highly collectible 7”s, and this 12” brings them together and puts them back in print. It’s easy to see why they’ve caught on, because Devil Master’s sound is a fresh and unique mixture of death rock (I hear a lot of Christian Death’s Only Theatre of Pain), black metal, and hardcore punk. Some people will respond to the spooky black metal vibe, some people will love the melodic lead guitar (the leads on the track “Devil Master” are so melodic they almost sound like a black metal-fied Screeching Weasel), while other people will love rampaging through the pit for pogo-punkers like “Failure to Die.” While the sound is gritty and gross (particularly the vocals, which are distorted and buried in the mix), the music has a pop structure that makes you want to listen to it over and over. Don’t be afraid, though, because they always bury the melodies under a ton of grime. Relapse says to expect a new album in early 2019, but in the meantime pick this up if you weren’t one of the lucky few to nab the 7”s.