Album Review: Diavolos – “You Lived, Now Die”

These days people get so damn serious that they forget metal is supposed to be fun. Music is our escape. The one time that we don’t have to worry about terrorism, crises and other issues. Thankfully, Diavolos is here to bring us some straight forward, fun old school death metal that will help us forget about all our worries and anxieties. With their debut LP, You Lived, Now Die Diavolos have created a fun, head-bopping tribute to the heroes of the old school. Knowing who you are and what you want to accomplish is an unbeatable character trait and Diavolos have both with their shameless worship of the altars of death metal.

Names, names, names. Diavolos does not lack for those. The band is comprised of Tas Danaz (Satans Wrath, ex-Electric Wizard) and Nik Angelopoulos (ex-Mahakala, ex-Kawir) who added Taneli “The Fuck You Man” Jarva (ex-Impaled Nazarene, ex-Sentenced), Kostas S. (Septicemia, Soulskinner, ex-Mahakala), and Bill El (Soulskinner, Thou Art Lord) to for the quintet. So, yea. The band has cred (not bank credit probably but loads of street cred).

As with any old school death metal, the ‘thrash’ influence is clear. The speed and driving power behind You Lived, Now Die is omnipresent throughout the duration of its ten tracks and thirty-one minute run time. And let me tell you something else, death metal can be just as cheesy, fun and friendly as power metal. And You Lived, Now Die spares no punches on that end. The album is replete operatice introductions, vomit sounds, harmonized solos ripped straight from the archives of 1983 and plenty of god damn good times.

Tracks like “Baptized in Vomit” are especially reminiscent. Full of vomitting sounds and driving drum beats, the sixth track on the album blasts out a kickin two-and-a-half minutes of pure, unadulterated death metal. It’s tracks like this, along with “Hail all Evil” that perfectly lays out the influences of the band including Onslaught, Death, Possessed, Slayer and Venom. Between the two tracks it’s easy to see the two schools of death metal that started it all in the 1980’s. While “Baptized in Vomit” is an all out assault, “Hail all Evil” employs guitar riffs, harmonizing, ripping solos and a more moderate pace to counterbalance (this is where the Slayer influence is most appropriate). The result is, as the album shows, an homage to early wave death metal complete with all the trimmings, trappings and glory of the genre.

Fans of punk, thrash, crossover and, obviously, ripping death metal are sure to enjoy this release. It’s got no frills, no downside and nothing but ripping tunes. Where Abyss’ Heretical Anatomy gave you death metal with a d-beat flourish and pounded the walls down, Diavolos’ You Lived, Now Die will get deep inside your veins causing you to spew forth bestial grunts and pound at your walls with your fists while headbanging incessantly. This album is a complete blast. So blast it as loud as you can and please, for chrissakes, remember to piss in the holy water.

– Manny-O-War

You Lived, Now Die is available 12.11.2015 via Hells Headbangers. For more information on Diavolos check out their Facebook page.