The musical parts sadly just never seem to fit that well together and there's little to grasp onto in each track to make any stand out.

'Be Like The River' is the second album from Devilskin, a Rock band from Hamilton, New Zealand. The album has a slightly Symphonic feel overall, especially with the almost haunting, Gothic atmosphere that hangs over it. A lot of the "heavier" tracks aren't especially intense, feeling rather more softened than I was expecting.

'In Black' gives a good introduction to the authoritative performance of Jennie Skulander on vocals and she really does lead the way through the album; most of the compositions are very vocal-driven. At first I thought it was only the opening track, but 'Pray' and 'Voices' exhibit the same sound and it seems almost shallow, sparse even, lacking in bass.

'Believe In Me' and 'F.Y.I' pack a bit more of a punch with more solid rhythm sections, but then it's the vocals' turn to drag this new-found energy down, though less so on the latter where Skulander excels at a more Liv Jagrell-style (Sister Sin) delivery. The resulting attitude and pure difference to its predecessors alone makes this track stand out.
'Animal' is a prowling piece brought to life by Skulander's lung-busting performance. She is backed by an impressive crescendo that testifies to the musical talent of the band; if only they could write it into the tracks a little more, it would make for a more enjoyable album.

The musical parts sadly just never seem to fit that well together and there's little to grasp onto in each track to make any stand out. The band says that the message of the album is about perseverance and unwavering determination; unfortunately, you might need some of both to get through this album.

Sophie Brownlee