MNZ Interview: Muzic Speak S01 / E06 – Devilskin

Fresh off the back of a high-octane 11-date nationwide tour and celebrating their win at the 2025 AMA People’s Choice Awards, New Zealand’s powerhouse hard-rock metal quartet Devilskin have returned with Re-Evolution – a thunderous new album marking 15 years of fearless artistry.

Known for confronting the rawest corners of the human experience with honesty and depth, this Hamilton-based band pushes sonic boundaries with their sixth release, melding chaos and melody, introspection and power. Featuring guest appearances by Nik Barker (Twelve Foot Ninja) and Joe Hottinger (Halestorm), Re-Evolution cements Devilskin’s legacy as masters of immersive music and trailblazers of heavy rock in Aotearoa.

Muzic.NZ’s Lisa caught up with the band to explore the journey behind their evolution, from studio rituals to international milestones and the profound connections that fuel their fire.

Starting with introductions – who are the members of Devilskin, what instruments do each of you play, and how did you all get involved in music?

Devilskin is Jennie Skulander on Vocals; Nail on Guitar; Paul Martin on Bass; and his son Nic Martin on Drums, but we all have a go at multiple instruments when it comes to writing the music! Jennie, Nail, and Paul have all been immersed in the music industry within past bands for decades before Devilskin; particularly Slipping Tongue, Chuganaut, Blackjack, and Knightshade. As you can imagine, Nic grew up in a musical household with his father also hosting a metal radio show ‘The Axe Attack’, meaning he had a literal library of CD’s to influence his upbringing.

Can you tell us about the formation of Devilskin? How did you all come together?

The band formed in early-2010 with Paul having a desire to collaborate with musicians he had massive respect for but had never jammed with. What started as “just a jam, no catch, maybe a gig or two” between himself, Jen, Nail, and previous drummer Rob McWhannel, very quickly sparked an undeniable chemistry. Within a year they had garnered a reputation for putting on a show, instead of “just jumping on stage and jamming some covers”, and Nic was soon enlisted on drums to bring a youthful influence into the fold.

The Re-Evolution Tour is shaping up to be a powerhouse event! What can fans expect from this tour that sets it apart from previous ones?

It’s all in the name: this tour is us showing our supporters that we have evolved in a tangible way. We didn’t think it was possible, but we really are more excited about this album than we have ever been for any previous release. The writing and recording process felt like a true elevation from how we had previously operated, which always comes with its risks, but everything about these songs and this album came together so easily and naturally. So it was obvious that our next tour should reflect that excitement, that evolution; we’ve worked meticulously with our production team to bring a vision to life where our audience can witness that growth in person.

We’re showcasing a lot of new songs live, and our VIP’s get a preview of even more album content. The stage set is monumental and immersive, the lighting is absolutely stunning, and we’ve been working our asses off to make sure that the new songs sound just as good – if not better – than the classic hits our audience love!

You’re known for bringing intense energy to your live shows – do you have any pre-show rituals to get fired up before hitting the stage?

We’re a lot more calculated these days, we’re mindful of exerting too much energy too-soon. We don’t need to come out sprinting and cartwheeling across the stage on the first note; we get that energy in spades from our crowd every night. Backstage there’s a lot of meditating, stretching, socialising with the other bands, crew, family and friends. We like to be able to hear the crowd and the other bands and absorb the energy in the venue, it’s all about staying grounded beforehand so that we can bring the best version of ourselves on stage. Of course there are our staple rituals of Tequila + Orange + Cinnamon, Jack, and recently a few tipples of our own Devilskin Gin!

With Villainy and Midwave Breaks on board, this tour has an incredible line-up. How did the collaboration come together, and what makes these bands the perfect fit for this tour?

We’ve all worked with both bands in various capacities over the years. We toured with Villainy ten years ago and have crossed paths on many Homegrown-Rock-Stage lineups. They’ve been focussing on new music and were ready to bust out on tour right when we wanted to so that was an easy pairing. Midwave Breaks consist of two incredible artists who have a real talent for writing great songs, Nail and Jennie got to jam with drummer Paul Russell for the Rock 2000 All-Stars lineup last year and spoke highly of their tenacity. There’s a lot of mutual respect for each other in the tour van and backstage which really adds to the experience the audience gets each night.

You’ve mentioned that your upcoming album marks a new level for you as songwriters and recording artists. Can you dive into what makes this body of work so exciting for the band?

The overall mission statement for the new record was simply “Whatever we end up creating, let’s ensure it’s an enjoyable experience”, but once the ball got rolling and Jennie started laying down some vocal ideas on our demos, we seized the opportunity to create some momentum and suddenly had developed a schedule where everyone was getting together every other day to channel all of our focus on songwriting. Previously our process had been very simple: get into a room together and jam. But given how busy we all are, and that some of us live in different cities, we took full advantage of different songwriting methods. We all got a chance to sit down and compose songs with a more refined vision, present those ideas to the rest of the band, and receive feedback and input to make it as good as it could be.

Dave Rhodes was a key player during this process; we had already established a great chemistry on our 2024 EP Surfacing so it was very easy to hit the ground running with him on new material. He would be our sounding board when we needed a fresh perspective on the music and he was always able to show us a different way of seeing or approaching these ideas. We also made a conscious decision to record the album at Parachute Studios, somewhere we had never visited before. Not only are the Parachute team curating an incredible hub for ALL musicians, but the fresh environment brought excitement to the whole process. All of these factors made it feel like we were creating our first album, but we had 15 years of experience to guide us through some of the finer details.

Devilskin has been making waves since 2010. Looking back, what are some defining moments that have shaped your journey?

We’re aware we bring it up a lot, but getting the opportunity to tour Europe with Halestorm back in 2018 was such a huge and impactful moment for Devilskin. It opened our eyes to what’s actually possible through hard work and determination and focus. Performing for audiences on the other side of the world and being invited to play festivals like Download definitely assured us that we were making the right decisions. And, of course, every album is such an intensive and involved experience for all of us, we come out of those era’s as better versions of ourselves every time.

Jennie, your voice is nothing short of impressive – how do you maintain vocal strength and stamina, especially on long tours?

I try to rest as much as I can and keep my fluids up. I do my usual vocal warm ups every night and stretch the body out. A lot of luck goes into this as well because sometimes I faced with pushing my voice through sickness, dehydration and sleep deprivation! So a lot of the time, I’m hitting the stage with everything I got.

Nic, you’ve been immersed in the music industry since an incredibly young age. You’re also the youngest artist to ever perform at the Big Day Out, performing with World War Four in 2009 at the age of 13. What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned from growing up in the industry?

Connections are so important. And I don’t necessarily mean that in the “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” way; I mean the connection with friends and family, the people who can keep you grounded. Connections with bandmates and crew, those you can’t achieve ANY of this without. Connections with other bands, industry players, and the fans, those who can – and will – remember how you treat them and how you treat yourself…which takes me to the most important connection: the one you have with yourself. It took me a good few years of ups and downs to understand that the way I carry and connect with my artistry has a direct line with my connection to the world and people around me.

Paul, being deeply involved in the NZ rock scene with Axe Attack, how do you think the landscape of heavy music has changed over the years? And why do you think it’s important for the Aotearoa Music Awards to introduce a dedicated Metal category?

Heavy music is massive worldwide. You just need to look at some of the biggest festivals in Europe, (Hellfest, Wacken, Copenhell) the sheer scale and size of Black Sabbath, Metallica, Pantera, Rammstein and Iron Maiden shows. The crowds are just getting bigger and the heavy genre is getting more and more power. It is beyond regrettable that we don’t recognize our valuable and dedicated Kiwi artists with a metal category. We sure have the talent but I guess it’s never been ‘fashionable’ for the mainstream to do anything but ignore us. Not that the bands want to be fashionable per se, they just want their fair bite at the cake that EVERY other genre seems to get. I would even assert that your average metal head is about as passionate about their genre as anyone could be. We don’t half-ass our allegiance! Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe there are around 13 genre specific categories at the AMAs (hip hop has 2, Electronica, jazz, rock, classical, country, Māori, R&B, Roots, folk, soul etc.) but nothing for the heavy crew. Zero. Rude.

I’ve been campaigning the radio stations, the New Zealand music awards and Homegrown for years to include our well deserving heavy artists. It’s not easy. Most seem just too damn scared to take a chance. Homegrown have seen the value that bands like Alien Weaponry, Shepherds Reign and Devilskin add to the bill and the crowds love it. Did their credibility suffer as a result? Absolutely not! I wait for the day the Music Awards recognise the enormous efforts these bands have to put in just to exist! They deserve to be recognised in a landscape where they’ve previously been ignored and treated like musical pariah by an industry that seems afraid of them. Are their stories, music and songs not also part of our culture?? Somehow not relevant?? Sorry, but rock and metal are here to stay as an important part of the beautiful fabric of our cultural identity.

Do better NZ music industry.

Nail, your stage presence is undeniably electric, and your energy on stage never seems to wane. After all these years of performing, what drives you to keep that intensity alive?

I think over the years I’ve become more aware of trying to deliver the best possible show I can, I’m very aware people have paid hard earned coin to come and see us and I want them to leave feeling like they have had their money’s worth.

Performing live is the reward part for me, after all the song writing, recording, and rehearsals, this is where we finally get the opportunity to play to the people and when I get up there, it all comes out.

Beyond this tour and the album, what’s next for Devilskin? Any big plans for the future?

Right now as we write this, we’re just laser-focused on rolling out this album in full alignment with our vision. That includes a massive hope that people overseas connect with the new music there’s demand to have us back in the international market – we think we’re about due for a Europe/UK/US festival tour!

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to young musicians trying to break into the rock world today?

Listen to our song Be Like The River; it’s all there.

 

Image 1 Photo Credit: Ash Muir