www.splendidezine.com review of 'thirty pieces' Let's face it: first prize winners of "Battle of the Bands" contests usually suck. Well, obviously some people think that the champ is a worthy choice, but in my opinion these competitions usually end up being a celebration of mediocre music rather than a coronation of a local scene's killer talent. I've heard far too many BotB winners who believe that excessive guitar wank, rather than memorable crunch-laden grooves, is the key to success. Meet Indianapolis's 2003 Battle of the Bands winner, Devil to Pay. And I know what you're thinking, 'cause I'm right there with you. Fortunately, these Devils are the exception to the rule; they took Battle booty and recorded a doom-metal debut that Satan would be happy to use for his daughter's wedding processional. I'm all for bands exploring new musical territory, but every once in a while it's great to have a group traipse through a familiar aural scene, slamming down the massive beats and thick 'n' juicy riffs instead of dicking around in a world of experimental eccentricities. Devil to Pay's music falls somewhere in between the ridiculously labeled metal sub-genres of stoner rock and doom metal. It's been done plenty of times before, and it's not too difficult to hear the influence of Kyuss, Fu Manchu and the almighty Black Sabbath emanating from the CD's eleven tracks, but Devil to Pay plays off of these influences quite well, creating a massive metal outing that truly warrants a listen. The ironically titled instrumental "Mouthful of Spite" opens the album. While vocalist Steve Janiak doesn't utter a single word, "Spite" shakes you to the ground with a fierce attitude and a bruising up-tempo groove. It takes some guts to open an album with an instrumental, but DTP pack plenty of musical muscle behind the tune. However, "Spite" is the musical anomaly of the bunch; the remaining tunes favor slower and more measured beats. "Whores of Babylon" and "Lowest Common Denominator" are stubborn exercises in doom metal, layers of grinding sludge oozing from every pore. Janiak's vocals crawl over the rhythms, reminiscent of the earthy howls from the likes of Nebula or Sleep. He makes his presence known, but he doesn't overpower the music, acting more as another instrument than the aural focal point of every track. As its title suggests, "Dinosaur Tracks" is an ominous musical monster that lurches forward with weighty precision, stomping through the metal muck. The riffs are slow and calculated, with solos interspersed throughout. You've got to hand it to a band that can whip out a track entitled "Tractor Fuckin' Trailer". Down-tuned guitars pack an extra low-end wallop as wah-wah-drenched solos and crashing drums add to the mystique. It's catchy, but retains a touch of evil that will scare those uptight kids at church. Play it loudly and crank up the bass on your stereo for maximum damage. Thirty Pieces of Silver's lyrics can be a bit ridiculous, but it's the overall culmination of steamy riffs and hoarsely sung lyrics that drives Devil to Pay's music, not finely tuned poetic words of wisdom. The gritty musical muscle cranking out chunky riffs and thunderous tempos will endear you to Devil to Pay. I was sold after a single listen. Maybe next time you attend a Battle of the Bands you'll pay a bit more attention to the contestants; you may even hear your next favorite band.-- Andrew Magilow