Album Review: Re-Evolution

At this point, New Zealand alt-metal icons Devilskin need no introduction. Back with Re-Evolution, their first full-length album in five years and their fourth overall the band is firing on all cylinders. Fresh off the release of two well-received singles, Half-Life of Dreams and Swelter, which showcase contrasting sides of Devilskin’s musical diversity, and the 2024 EP Surfacing (featuring their epic cover of Heart’s Barracuda), Devilskin are charging forward stronger than ever.

Winners of the 2025 AMA People’s Choice Award and recently wrapping up an 11-date Aotearoa tour, Devilskin are back in full force, having teased new tracks live before unleashing this 13-track powerhouse upon the world. From the very first listen, the album feels like a re-evolution – a bold rebirth for the band. Their acclaimed and diverse 2020 album Red was, like so many projects, disrupted by the global pandemic. Now, Devilskin have rebuilt and they’ve come back swinging.

The album opens with Red, a possible nod to their previous release. It’s a perfect arena-ready track, featuring anthemic chants, a stadium-sized chorus, and the classic Devilskin sound. Paul Martin’s opening bass notes give off that same uneasy anticipation as Van Halen’s Runnin’ with the Devil and what follows, delivers. Swelter is one of the heaviest tracks on the album. It kicks off with crushing drum blasts and relentless double kicks, driving a fast-paced aggression that perfectly showcases Jennie Skulander’s impressive range. Her arsenal of vocal styles is on full display here, from brutal growls to soaring choruses. The track blends halftime groove breakdowns, thrash elements, and modern metal riffs into one massive assault.

Desiderium is classic Devilskin, Nic Martin lays down a groove-heavy beat with Nail delivering his signature Gibson big riffs. It’s a solid mid-tempo banger with dynamic drum arrangements, especially in the second verse where the double kicks kick in and frantic hi-hat/snare feel. The vocal transitions,  from clean choruses to guttural lows and back into harmonic highs, continue to impress. Three tracks in, the relentless pummelling eases slightly. Have I Come Undone featuring Nik Barker (ex-Twelve Foot Ninja) drops the tempo but not the emotional weight. This track is dripping with mood and atmosphere, tackling the heavy subject of death with haunting melodies and powerful lyrics. The dual vocal performance is a highlight: Barker and Skulander’s voices intertwine beautifully, ascending into a spine-tingling outro. Add Halestorm’s Joe Hottinger on lead guitar delivering a brooding, tasteful solo, and this becomes one of the album’s standout tracks, ethereal, intense, and emotionally layered.

Ghosts In The Mud is another highlight. The arrangement takes you on a wild ride, thunderous chugs, nods to classic 90’s metal, and unrelenting energy. The call-and-response interplay between the vocals and guitar is thrilling, with squealing harmonic pinches and Skulander reaching the stratosphere vocally. Nail’s guitar solo is massive, chaotic, technical, and gloriously over-the-top. Rain In The Wind gets us to the half point, a short and chill vibe, acoustic guitar and soothing vocals feature. So much variation and tasteful ideas throughout this album journey.

Once Forgotten blends familiarity with experimentation. The verses carry a low-key grunge and bluesy feel, before exploding into pulsating distortion and double-time drums. The final chorus drops into a massive half-time groove, punctuated by big drum fills. The contrast between darkness and light is something Devilskin handles exceptionally well. Half-Life of Dreams is another standout, arguably the most accessible track for first-time listeners. It’s a whirlwind of time changes and emotional intensity, packed with melodic guitars, hook-laden vocal lines, booming bass, and slick, creative drum patterns and fills from Nic Martin. This song lodges itself in your mind – and you won’t mind it one bit.

Burn Slow opens in Deftones territory, with big, open, doomy chords that set a heavy tone, then shifts into a slow, brooding half-time mood. Entomophobia, by contrast, is a chuganaut – machine gun riffage, relentless double kicks, and the yin-yang contrast of massive, soaring choruses versus aggressive, heavy verses. Celestial is the album’s longest and most psychedelic track, a real progressive rock vibe. With synth-like guitars and another standout vocal performance from Skulander, it soars on with layered harmonies. A spoken-word bridge adds a new dynamic, almost sci-fi-like touch.

An Island wastes no time, launching straight into a sleek snare roll and menacing guitar lick before locking into a tight, all-out groove. The bridge is brutally heavy-shredding guitars, rapid double kicks, and savage low growls on full display. The album closes with Twenty-Eight, a stunning finale to an epic journey. Acoustic guitar underpins Skulander’s raw and versatile vocal performance. The song builds gradually, the rhythm section rising with percussive strength as Nail’s guitar cries out in a powerful, emotional crescendo.

The production, handled by Dave Rhodes (Blindspott/Stylus), allows each instrument to breathe and stand out – perfectly mixed to capture Devilskin’s explosive live energy. It’s refined, layered with unique textures and sounds that enhance rather than overwhelm the band’s signature massive sound. After spending time with this album and revisiting it in different settings, I initially struggled to put into words how it made me feel. There’s just so much here to unpack – variety, nuance, subtle nods, and thoughtful intricacies woven throughout. The songwriting, arrangement, and production are all top-tier, reaffirming why Devilskin continue to hold the throne as the people’s band and true champions of heavy music in Aotearoa.

Go listen to this album – and get completely lost in it.