Hella's newest album, The Devil Isn't Red, will let you play air guitar and still be a music snob. When I was barely a teenager, I thought that heavy metal was the final evolution of music. I'm older and wiser now, but sometimes I just want to hear something loud and fast. Hella is the solution. They take the heavy metal sound and make it intelligent and challenging.
Given the sheer complexity of The Devil Isn't Red, it's surprising that there are only two guys behind the sound. Spencer Seim plays guitar, and Zach Hill beats the ever-loving hell out of the drums. Hella released two EPs last year that added some keyboards to their sound. The keyboards are mostly gone this time around, but Hella makes up for the loss with a recording that is smarter, cleaner, and more intricate.
The secret ingredient in Hella's formula is Hill's drumming. He isn't just keeping time for Seim's guitar. Hill is an equal partner in each song, pushing his drums to the edge. The loud, staccato beats intertwine themselves with Seim's guitar to create songs so delicately crafted that they seem like they could fall apart at any moment. Because it might take a few listens to start hearing the form behind the chaos on this album, you should get ready to do some music appreciation.
However, The Devil Isn't Red does have one real fault: There isn't much substance beyond the technique. Stripped of humanity, this music falls flat emotionally. It won't leave you feeling happy, angry, or sad. Hella's appeal is more mathematical. They are like the calculus of rock music.
But the good outweighs the bad on this album. It's worth a listen just to hear Hill beat his drums mercilessly. Don't let the math references scare you away from this album, either. I enjoyed it even though I can barely do long division. Hella proves that a band can be loud and smart at the same time.
1. Hello Great Architect Of The Universe
2. Big Time And The Kid
3. The Mother Could Be You
4. Top Twenty Notes
5. Brown Medal 2003
6. Suistyle
7. The Devil Isn't Red
8. You DJ Parents
9. Women Of The 90's
10. Except No Subs
11. Welcome To The Jungle Baby, You're Gonna Live!
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