Behind the Devil's Back - Thriller Novel | Suspense Fiction Book | Crime Mystery Story - Perfect for Late-Night Reading & Book Club Discussions

I had trouble balancing the elation and dread that sprung up when I heard about this album's impending release. Fightstar had long been the unsung musical heroes I'd preached about to anyone who would listen, but their extended hiatus had me (and many others) worried that we may had hear the last of them. Naturally, I was excited. But I was worried, as well. When bands take such a long time off, their comeback releases are often disappointing.In the case of "Behind the Devil's Back," nothing could be further from the truth.Fightstar has returned to form with a sharp-edged, bone-cracking release that feels, for all the world, like they never went on hiatus at all. The album taken as a whole displays a subtle and effortless blending of the synth elements experimented with in 2009's "Be Human," combined with a take-no-prisoners aggression that feels like a natural progression from 2007's "Deathcar." All this unbridled violence is juxtaposed with passages of fragile beauty, giving BTDB perhaps the harshest edge and most ethereal atmosphere of any Fightstar record to date.In other words, it's Fightstar, but MORE."Sharp Tongue" opens with perhaps the most brutal riff in the band's repertoire, lifting off into dreamlike melodies and a triumphant chorus reminiscent of much of the material on "Grand Unification." 5/5"Murder All Over" benefits from above average vocal interplay between Charlie and Alex, and electronic accompaniment that lends a haunting texture to the proceedings. 3/5"Behind the Devil's Back" Proudly displays the group's Deftones influence through the vocal writing, and plays with harmonic minor intervals that gives the song an exotic feel. The jagged, jarring admixture of distant, fragile vocals by Alex and blistering guitars gave me chills the first time I heard the bridge. 4/5"The Blackest of Birds" Has a powerful, emotional chorus that unfortunately feels somewhat unearned after the comparatively dull verses. Charlie's harsher but not-quite-screamed vocals in the pre-chorus saves the song from being a total disappointment, however. 2/5"Overdrive" explores similar sonic landscapes as seen in "Be Human," though with greater confidence than many tracks on that effort. A deliciously 80's breakdown takes this one over the top. 4/5"More Human Than Human" Is the song I've always wished Fightstar would write, and they finally did. Alex handles the vocals on this reverb-heavy, unapologetic rock ballad. An unexpected pleasure. 4/5"Animal" deserves more praise than could fit in this review. More time is needed to be sure, but it might be my favorite song they've ever released, perhaps after "Mono." It carries the listener through the all the beauty and violence Fightstar is capable of producing at breakneck speed without feeling forced for a second. I seldom find myself able to listen to it just once. 5+/5"Titan" Starts on a floating, seductive note, showing off Omar's sophisticated, nearly jazz-like drumming before quickly descending into an onslaught of screams, smooth falsetto, and sharply spoken vocals that would no doubt put a big smile on Chino Moreno's face if he heard it. The delicate bridge leading to the incredibly heavy outro is Fightstar mosh pit fare at its best. 4/5"Sink With the Snakes," Clocking in at under 3 minutes, lean, mean, and not interested in making friends. A refreshingly unique main guitar riff combined with a surprisingly pleasant chorus that nevertheless feels completely at home, along with the undeniably fist-pumping pre-chorus make for such an interesting and effective mixture of moods that I actually can't believe the song isn't twice as long as it is. 5/5"Dive" gives Charlie room to show off his ability to melt panties from 50 meters away, aided by hypnotic synths and drums. The bridge quickly takes a turn for the eerie before launching into another wonderfully heavy bit of riffing that closes out the album on a confident, completely unpretentious note.Sweet Jesus, this is a good album.