There are plenty of bands that fly well under the radar, and while the notion of musicians or artists in general deserving attention is a tenuous one, the fact is that there are plenty of artists and musicians who never quite get the accolades they have worked for. Perhaps it’s due to bad timing, misfortune, or having to compete with a number of other artists in a crowded market, but anyway you slice it, history is littered with artists who many would consider hidden gems.
Those of a certain age, especially those who lived close to or even in England, might remember the plethora of metalcore, hardcore, and post-hardcore bands that emerged from the British Isles in the early to mid 2000s. Many of these bands became household names – Architects, Bullet For My Valentine, Funeral For A Friend, Bring Me The Horizon, even Biffy Clyro from Scotland.
On the flip side of that, many of these bands fell under the radar, sometimes to a ridiculous extent. One band that easily qualifies for that statement is Devil Sold His Soul. A bit of backstory is important here – the band emerged in 2007 with their debut full-length album, A Fragile Hope. What is particularly important to know about the band is that it’s not easy to categorize them. They tend to get labeled as post-hardcore, metalcore, or even post-metal. All these labels are pretty valid across their discography, as many of their songs are lengthy and generally take their time to reach the listener. In other words, there’s not a lot of immediacy when it comes to the band.
Their discography is really, really good, however. All four of the bands full-length albums to date are truly great pieces of work, but on July 12th, 2010, Devil Sold His Soul released an album called Blessed & Cursed. Of the band’s four full-length albums to date, this record is probably the best distillation of their sound. It ebbs and flows just like any good progressive or post-metal record, but the fact is that there’s a lot of metalcore influence here.
Clocking in at 64 minutes over 10 songs, Blessed & Cursed is not an easy listen necessarily. “Drowning / Sinking” is one of the album’s centerpieces, and over its nearly 8 minute runtime it gives away the fact that this record is an emotionally challenging one. In fact, if the song was trimmed and most of its important buildup and explosion was removed, you could almost call it a metalcore song. Perhaps, because of their vast number of influences, the term post-metalcore might fit Devil Sold His Soul quite well.
While the response to the singing depends on the listener, the fact is that on many of these songs, Devil Sold His Soul find an excellent balance between the melodic and the heavy. Songs like “An Ocean Of Lights” encapsulate what Devil Sold His Soul are trying to do here – find a balance between all of their influences to craft brilliant songs. While it packs an emotional punch that can be hard to digest sometimes, blessed and cursed is one of the most unique albums to ever emerge from the scene. It’s a must listen for anyone who can enjoy heavy, melodic, and passionate music. Notably, it’s also a good album to listen to if you’re attempting to introduce yourself to other post-rock / post-metal bands.
