DevilDriver is a band that has remained driven through the “Dark Ages” of metal and evolved with each record. Over a decade in the industry, DevilDriver hit the road with a solid line up of Tetrarch, Uncured, Cane Hill, and 36 Crazyfists in support of their 2016 release Trust No One. Bringing metal to the Ozarks is Pointless Promotion’s specialty, and Fayetteville, AR had a night they won’t forget.
Atlanta-based quartet Tetrarch delivered a high energy set in support of their new album Freak, which is set to release September 29th. Purple lights highlighted the stage as the bandmates weaved in and out across the stage. Their set contained “Break The Trend,” “Freak,” and “Pull The Trigger.” I was impressed by their set and will definitely be checking out their work.
The next sets on the bill were Uncured and Cane Hill, both whom had well-executed sets. Headbanging masters Uncured rallied up the crowd pit, and Cane Hill kept it going with a variety of songs. Two new tracks were revealed, “Erase” and “Too Far Gone,” as Cane Hill frontman Elijiah Witt claimed, “It’s the heaviest shit we’ve ever written.” This proved to be true as the crowd loved the power anthem. High toned guitars brought on Cane Hill’s march for the wicked “Fountain Of You,” followed by “(The New) Jesus.” They bring such an energy to the table. 
Alaskan-formed 36 Crazyfists seized the stage with a symphonic intro that soon blasted into explosive riffs. In support of their upcoming album Laterns, set to release September 29th, the band revealed a few new tracks and resurfaced some older songs. The forty-five-minute set ranged from slow paced tracks with rippling cymbals and winding guitars to songs with rapid drums and echoing vocals. “We Gave It Hell” proved to be a crowd favorite. Some may have experienced elevated heart rates as the band ended with “Time and Trauma.” Everyone’s horns were up in the air and bodies were moving as 36 Crazyfists tore up the stage. 
I can’t imagine the pressure of having to compose the set and put together a short list from the past decade. That didn’t stop DevilDriver as they graced the stage with all smiles and nailed Fayetteville with their hour-long set. Frontman Dez said he “knew it was going to be a crazy night” when fans went nuts as their initial introduction. The band leeched off the crowd’s energy all night as tracks “End Of The Line,” “Hold Back The Day,” and “Daybreak” were slayed away. Time slowed down in the pit as “Not All Who Wander Are Lost” was performed, but that didn’t keep the crowd from clapping along. Green and purple lights illuminated the stage for “My Night Sky.” There was an unexpected cover of “Sail,” and you could tell the band had fun with it. Debut album track “I Could Care Less” played out as a crowd favorite. The band thanked the venue and the audience for coming out and making the night a possibility, especially on a weekday. Dez said, “I grew up on a construction site and knew what it was like to wake up at 5:30 a.m. every morning… thank you for coming out tonight.” Overall, I was amazed by how playful DevilDriver was with the crowd; the interaction and eye connections were more active than I anticipated. This college town roared for the band as they gave one last “thank you” for the night.
This leg of the U.S. tour will soon wrap up before joining forces with Superjoint for another U.S. run this fall. Be on the lookout for dates from DevilDriver, as well as a cover album early next year.
