Eat This Rock : DEVILS KISS - At Least You Tried, Kid!

Devils Kiss produces a sound that can only be categorized by almost not categorizing it at all. They’re a concoction of melody metal and rock music with a hint of nostalgic grunge undertones. Both seductive and raw their music branches into radio quality whilst maintaining an underground footing.

The band formed in 2018 when Paul Louis Villani and Christopher John initially started by jamming in Pauls studio as a way to relax. Already friends, it wasn’t a stretch to see them playing along side one other and after a couple of sessions, they felt there was something in the music they were creating that had the potential to be great and with that, they went on the hunt for some more members. Paul Louis Villani had been looking for a female lead singer to join them when he asked Elle Bates to come in an have go at it, meanwhile Christopher John asked Sean Watson to do the same and in one sure as all hell night, the creativity and chemistry that came from it all was undeniable. Between Paul “The Beast” and Chris “The Joker”, it took only moments before Sean Watson (Who would come be known as “The Baby Face” and Elle Bates “The Mad Hatter” to hit it off creating a crazy left of field like family vibe. The last piece of the puzzle was the drummer. When the talented and deviant-yet-innocent Darren Gough thrashed upon his kit, the band looked at him as the perfect fit. Being the only one to be so polite, the rest of the band believed he must be a demon in disguise, and as such Dazza “Demon D” “The Quiet Devil” was now one of them, and Devils Kiss the band had begun, but would be yet to hit the stage when the Devils Kiss Family introduced the first DK Baby “Griffin” the child of Sean Watson and his loverly wife. Fatherhood took Sean by the heart and he had to leave Devils Kiss to give his child the love he deserved, and with that came the new bassist, “The Alchemist” AKA Amie JD! The manic mixer of elixir type bass notes! Before even releasing any tracks, Devils Kiss found themselves SOLD OUT for September 2018, when they would launch their sound for the world to hear!

The name Devils Kiss came from the first jam/audition session. With a handful of tunes between Paul and Chris, when Elle Bates came in with lyrics jotted down for two songs and the third began to play, naturally, she began making it up. The song which is now known as “Devils Kiss” was the result of the on-the-fly jam they did. As the band progressed from finding members to finding a band name, they couldn’t help but keep falling back on Devils Kiss. “It felt natural to us, as natural as when we tried that song for the first time and came out with a completed track, it made sense. We were Devils Kiss”

Settled into Anubis Studios in Melbourne, Victoria, the band began writing more songs together. The muffled sounds that escaped the rehearsal studio were praised for sounding powerful and compelling even leading other band members from their rooms over for a better listen. “It was pretty epic at the time, we were like, hell, if they like how we sound now– whilst we’re just building the bones, imagine once we’ve added the meat.” A grin, as the band also carries a charming childish manner as well.

Each band member comes from a different musically inspired background and because of this, the possibilities for sound has never been limited to one genre going hand in hand with not being limited in lyrical content or structure. Within 6 weeks the band had written 10 tracks, most of them on the fly whilst in rehearsals and between tracks. The natural flow of energy between them pumped out tune after tune with no signs of slowing down. Inspired by the diversity of each band member, they create a complex blend of sounds that somehow fit together in perfect harmony. “When you look at our music, and you take the vocals out and drums etc. and perhaps focus solely on guitars, you’d hear heavy metal, but then you bring in bass and drums, and you get this other element that takes it into heavy rock, then you have these vocals that take it completely out of both those genres and into something else entirely. A nostalgic throwback grunge and melodic tonality comes in and sort of binds it all back together in an enchanting sort of inspired way”

When Christopher John was married, life became something else for him, and he chose to spend his time with his newly formed family. Though sad to say goodbye, Paul Louis Villani and all his experience was able to bring to life the filling needed since the man can basically play two guitars at once! So as Devils Kiss sends their love and fare well to Sean Watson and Christopher John, Devils Kiss remains stronger than ever, producing music with the famous four! The Mad Hatter, The Beast, The Alchemist and newly named “Feathers” for his hair and spirit.

Having been itching to get out and play, their onstage performances never leave a room feeling small, instead filling it brightly. A concert like arena performance is carried with them into any location. Contributed to this, is their practice time in a 5 x 8 practice space where they played for the thousands in their minds. An extremely tight show with charismatic banter makes you feel like you didn’t just watch a band perform a gig, you watched a show, from start to end, because that’s what they are; a show, a concert, an event.

Reeving up to record their first album after the release of their first and second singles, Devils Kiss is hitting all the iconic venues of Melbourne, whilst also gearing up for their first East & Central Australian Tours. All updates on their movements can be found on their site, as well as their social media outlets.

Devils Kiss - Debut Single and Video - At Least You Tried, Kid!

Going straight for an artery instrumentally and lyrically, Devil's Kiss are an open book.
Describing the overall style as 'melodic hard rock, metal', Devil's Kiss intrepidly draw on metal, blues, punk and rock, their tracks tackling the inevitable conflicts between freedom and failure, integrity and chaos, hope and loss. Elle Bates' incisively candid vocals are engaging, highly versatile and dynamic, with all vocals sung clean but emotional rawness reminiscent of PJ Harvey and Johnnetta Napolitano.
The rhythm section of Amie JD on bass and Darren Gough on drums is tight and unified while still being warmly resonant, bold and articulate. With bombastic grit and firm swagger throughout the tracks, Paul Villani's guitars are versatile and sensitive, delivering both cheekiness and forlorn melodic picking to support the tracks' changing moods.
With their darkly introspective yet voraciously glass-half-full style and their decisively irresistible live presence, Devil's Kiss will take you further out to sea than you may have planned to travel, but you will be glad you came aboard.