### Bible Of The Devil: For the love of thugs and fools

#### 04/07/12 || gk

2008’s “Freedom metal” was a terrific album that I thoroughly enjoy. It has some great songs and is an album I can put on anytime, anywhere and the music just makes me happy. Raw, fist pumping heavy metal that owes a fair bit to the NWOBHM and even more to the likes of Thin Lizzy and Blue Oyster Cult. So it was with some degree of anticipation that I waited for Bible of the Devil’s latest full length outing, “For the love of thugs and fools”.

The album starts with “Sexual overture/While you were away” and it starts slow with some melodic guitar playing serving as an intro before it moves on seamlessly to the catchy riffing of proper opening song Away which is some infectious riff driven metal. “Out for Blood” is a bit more aggressive especially with the drumming and has some classic NWOBHM dual guitar melodies and the gang vocal chorus is effective and addictive. “Raw and Order” is a mostly mid paced hard rocker and Mark Hoffman’s vocals sound a lot like Phil Swanson with the drums and bass locking in tightly and providing a solid foundation. “The Parcher” has a rhythm that sounds suspiciously like “Eye of the Tiger” and its one song I really don’t like on this album not just because it reminds me of that horrible pub staple but also because the vocals are a bit weak. “I know what is right (in the night) is catchy but becomes a bit monotonous. “Anytime” is just pure Thin Lizzy worship. There’s no other way to describe this song really. It’s good and catchy and fun but it just made me want to play “Jailbreak”. “Yer Boy” has the same problem and is again just too much Lizzy worship while the album ends with “Night Street” which sounds like there’s a good song lurking somewhere in there but is just a bit too sloppy.

The band has become a lot less metal on “For the love of thugs and fools”. The songs all have big clean choruses and loads of places where vocal harmonies are used and this really shows up the lack of singing talent in the band. Where you could have done with a strong, soaring voice, you’re often left with a flat, shouty voice that’s probably smoked too many cigarettes. Also, the Thin Lizzy worship is getting a bit out of hand for me.

Coming as the follow up to “Freedom Metal” which I liked a great deal, this album is a bit of a disappointment. It’s still good and there are places that make me want to raise my fist in the air and sing along but overall, this is probably the most inconsistent and frustrating album I’ve heard by the band yet.

- Information
- Released: 2012
- Label: Cruz del Sur Records
- Website: Bible of the Devil MySpace
- Band
- Mark Hoffman: vocals, guitars
- Nathan Perry: guitars, vocals
- Darren Amaya: bass
- Greg Spalding: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Sexual Overture/While you were away
- 02. Out for Blood
- 03. Raw and Order
- 04. The Parcher
- 05. I Know What Is Right (In the Night)
- 06. Anytime
- 07. Can’t Turn Off the Sun
- 08. Yer Boy
- 09. Night Street