DEVILDRIVER's DEZ FAFARA Hints At First New Music In Three Years

In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, DEVILDRIVER frontman Dez Fafara, who is promoting the band's July 2026 co-headlining tour of Australia with CRADLE OF FILTH, was asked if DEVILDRIVER fans can expect to hear some fresh music from the group following the release of the 2023 album "Dealing With Demons Vol. II". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm not gonna say. [Laughs] I can't say. What I can say is you guys [in Australia] will definitely be getting something on stage that no one's got."

After the interviewer noted that all of DEVILDRIVER's musical output has been consistently strong, Dez said: "We try to make every album sound different, man. We don't wanna be pigeonholed. Fans started calling us 'groove metal' years and years ago, when there really was no groove metal and when that terminology was not being used. Now, of course, there's a lot of bands that that jump on that and hashtag 'groove metal'. But we are.

"One of my favorite artists is James Brown," Dez explained. "So it's stuff like that — we make sure and keep it moving. There's a beat and it's fun to listen to. And if you wanna get in the pit, that's it. It's aggressive music that you can go pit to and dance to."

Released in May 2023, "Dealing With Demons Vol. II" was produced and engineered by Steve Evetts, with additional engineering from then-DEVILDRIVER guitarist Mike Spreitzer.

Spreitzer announced his departure from DEVILDRIVER in September 2024. He has since been replaced by ENTERPRISE EARTH guitarist Gabe Mangold. Mike was the second-longest-lasting member of DEVILDRIVER following the departures of all original members except Fafara. Spreitzer co-wrote and performed on DEVILDRIVER's albums "The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand" (2005),"The Last Kind Words" (2007),"Pray For Villains" (2009),"Beast" (2011),"Winter Kills" (2013),"Trust No One" (2016),"Outlaws 'Til The End: Vol. 1" (2018),"Dealing With Demons Volume I" (2020) and "Dealing With Demons Volume II" (2023).

In December 2022, DEVILDRIVER parted ways with drummer Austin D'Amond and replaced him with Davier Pérez.

In July 2022, DEVILDRIVER announced the return of original bassist Jon Miller after more than a decade-long absence from the scene. In addition to epic reunion, DEVILDRIVER added guitarist Alex Lee (HOLY GRAIL) to the lineup, replacing Neal Tiemann.

In October 2021, DEVILDRIVER parted ways with Tiemann. Neal, formerly of BURN HALO, joined the band in 2015 as the replacement for Jeff Kendrick, who left DEVILDRIVER in October 2014.