Devar-Toi - Devar-Toi
Rating
RIYL
Circle Takes the SquarePortrait
I Would Set Myself On Fire For You
Orchid
Tracklist
1. Like Wolves, We Crawl2. Please Send This Letter
3. As the Silence Breaks, So Do We
4. A Season to Heal
5. Comfort?
6. Rhythm of the Machine
7. Eight Paths Knit Midnight Catharsis
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Imagine this: You're at the grocery store, browsing the junk food aisle, when you come across one of your favorite snacks: Cheez-Its. Your eyes get wide, your mouth begins to salivate... and as you look at the price, your wallet bites you in the ass because they're a little more expensive than you'd hoped for. However, off to the right is a slightly cheaper, slightly less tasty alternative: Cheese Nips. Your eyes shoot back and forth between the 'Its and the 'Nips. You begin to sweat. Your knees shake and buckle. The ticking of a nearby clock seems to grow louder with each passing second. Which one do you pick? Is there a reason why Cheese Nips are cheaper? What the hell am I going on about? Well, as an example, lets say that the Cheeze-Its are the band Circle Takes the Square, and the Cheese Nips are a band called Devar-Toi. Confused? Well, lets say you picked Cheese Nips, or in this case, Devar-Toi.
Devar-Toi is a relatively unknown band from the state of North Carolina, who play a style of passionate, melodic, progressive screamo similar to acts such as Circle Takes the Square, Portrait, and I Would Set Myself On Fire For You. However, within the first few minutes of listening to this album, it becomes crystal clear that Devar-Toi’s main musical influence is Circle Takes the Square. Lead vocalist Matt sounds so similar to CTTS vocalist Drew Speziale that it's seriously scary, and he even manages to get Drew’s melodic talking vocal style down to a T while sounding just like him in the process. Devar-Toi even incorporate the 6+, 7+, and 8+ minute songs that CTTS specialize in doing, and judging from the lyrics, they even write in the same format as CTTS. Hell, I think they even go so far as to use a line from one of CTTS's songs in their own (I'm CERTAIN I heard the line "polar of progress" on one of the songs on this album. Or maybe I was just listening to CTTS. I can't remember.) The band's sound is honestly so uncanny that someone with an untrained ear could easily mistake them for the actual CTTS.
So, are Cheese Nips the way to go? Are Devar-Toi just a CTTS clone? Oh, absolutely they are. Is that a bad thing, though? Being the huge CTTS fan that I am, to me, it's not a bad thing at all. Maybe it's because there are no other bands out there (that I've heard at least) that sound so much like CTTS, and Devar-Toi are able to pull the style off magnificently without sounding like less-than-stellar rip-offs. Or maybe its because I’m a huge CTTS fan boy and love any band that remotely sounds like them. Either way, this self-released, self-titled CD is available for order for only $5 from the group’s website (which is cheaper than CTTS's As the Roots Undo, but slightly less satisfying as well). So really, if you’re fan of CTTS or screamo in general, you should definitely pick this album up. Whatever Devar-Toi may lack in originality, they sure make up for it in delivery; just like how whatever Cheese Nips may lack in comparison to Cheez-Its, they make up for it in value, and packaging, and cheese flavor. Or something like that.
--Anthony Presnell
Comments
blockbuster
but yeah, despite being clones these guys are still really good. they broke up several months ago, but recently announced in a blog they may get back together and start fresh.
West Haven, CT
The Cityscape Burns Brighter By The Hour.
Tucson, AZ
I thought it sounded familiar. Love those books.
Los Angeles
postrockpaperscissors
Los Angeles
postrockpaperscissors
blockbuster
I love clones of good bands like CTTS though.