The band features the spectacular Jennie Skulander on lead vocals. Her powerful and compelling voice and alluring stage presence sets her apart from any vocalist New Zealand has put up so far. With an unerring gift for melody, Jennies’ incredible voice sweeps from whisper to roar, rips with power, drips with melody and captivates with sincerity. Jennie previously fronted Rotorua band Slipping Tongue garnering a swathe of fans with their videos, eps and album. Slipping Tongue also impressed many when they opened for Coheed & Cambria in 2008.
On lead guitar is The Nail from popular Waikato band Chuganaut who won the NZ Battle of the Bands and the World Battle Of The Bands in 2004. Played BDO in 2005 and opened for Iron Maiden at Mt Smart stadium in 2009. Chuganaut has played numerous national tours and released several singles, eps, videos and an album. Nails’ searing guitar work and high energy performance bring real intensity to the live show.
Playing bass guitar is Paul Martin, known as the Axeman from arguably, New Zealands most popular radio show, the Axe Attack. Lead guitarist and vocalist for World War Four, Pauls’ previous bands include Knightshade and Blackjack. He has opened for Black Label Society (2006), Heaven & Hell (2007) and Motorhead twice (2008), and played BDO (2009). Paul’s powerful and aggressive bass style is a propulsive force in the bands sound.
Nic Martin joined Devilskin as drummer in August 2011 at the age of 15. Pauls son, Nic is the youngest artist to ever play the BDO when he performed with World War Four in 2009 at the age of 13. Nic adds to the show with a real display of power and passion on the drums. With a fierce style all his own and the inexhaustible energy of youth, Nics truculent style and showmanship are fast becoming a talking point on the NZ live music scene. Not to mention making Devilskin one of the few bands featuring a father and son in their line-up.
Together, Devilskin have the ability to write songs that have depth and passion. They create a compelling and irresistible sound and perform a stunning, explosive, live show.
Mountains and Be Like the River (2015–2017)
After sold-out album tour for We Rise and an eight-date 'Summer Surrender' tour in late 2014, the band returned home to record to release a follow-up single Mountains, recorded whilst they were over in England. Following the supporting Mountains and the Moon tour, the band went to England to finish fully recording their follow-up album, Be Like the River. The album's first single, "Pray" was released on 11 August 2016. The full album was later released on 11 November 2016, and peaked at #1 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart, like its predecessor. To follow the album release, Devilskin went on a promotional tour, opening for acts such as Airbourne and playing at festivals such as the Download Festival.
On 7 September 2018, Devilskin announced their new single "Endo". This was followed up with the release of "All Fall Down" on 5 April.
Red (2020)
On 17 January 2020 Devilskin announced the forthcoming release of their third album Red along with a new single, "Corrode".[26] This was released to streaming platforms on 3 April 2020 with the plan to follow up with an appearance at Homegrown Music Festival and an international tour. However due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in New Zealand this, along with physical disc copies, has been postponed.
In Black
Devilskin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wave goodbye to stress
Here we stand in black
Now we are dressed
Sound is mixed through words
Choked in your throat
I'm not dislike you
These legs have been hurting
For too long
Crack the spine
Put bones where they belong
Sound is mixed through words
Choked in your throat
I'm not dislike you
The dreams we wrote
Sorrow is an empty road
Our legs grow weak and tired
We become one with the dark
All in my hands I hold a fire
Pills been turning
Feelings up above
Emotions controlled
You've fought so long
Death makes the black smoke
Rise in your throat
Goodbye to life as
Your life alone
We walk along the ocean
And we dance in the sea
We feel connections to where
Our presence still may be
We will not carry on our life
But those who cannot see
We sleep among the dirt with
A thousand more lost souls
I will be there until the end
I'll never turn my back
I will be there when time is gone
I will be dressed in black
Sorrow is an empty road
Our legs grow weak and tired
We become one with the dark
All in my hands I hold a fire
We walk along the ocean
And we dance in the sea
We feel connections to where
Our presence still may be
We will not carry on our life
But those who cannot see
We sleep among the dirt with
A thousand more lost souls
I will be there until the end
I'll never turn my back
I will be there when time is gone
I will be dressed in black
The Devilskin's song "In Black" is a haunting, emotional and cathartic song about overcoming sorrow and carrying on with life despite the pain. The lyrics of this song describe the process of letting go and moving on after a period of emotional turmoil. The opening lines, "Silence, punch you, wave goodbye to stress, here we stand in black, now we are dressed" convey an attitude of defiance and strength in the face of adversity. The singer suggests that the color black has a significance that represents resilience and the ability to survive through loss and grief.
The lyrics use powerful metaphors like bones to indicate a rebuilding process after a time of hardship. The line "crack the spine, put bones where they belong" suggest that the singer is emotionally exhausted but determined to heal and move forward. The song concludes with the singer promising to stay with those who have lost their way, ensuring their safety and comfort. The repetition of the phrase "I will be there until the end, I'll never turn my back, I will be there when time is gone, I will be dressed in black" emphasizes the song's central message of the importance of perseverance even when it is difficult.
Line by Line Meaning
Silence, punch you
Quietness can hit you with force, causing a release from stress and anxiety.
Wave goodbye to stress
Bid farewell to worry and tension.
Here we stand in black
We are both physically and emotionally present in a place symbolized by darkness.
Now we are dressed
We are adorned in clothing that represents the darkness we inhabit.
Sound is mixed through words
Music has the ability to convey emotion with lyrics intertwined.
Choked in your throat
Feelings can be overwhelming and suffocating in a way that leaves you speechless.
I'm not dislike you
I am not unlike you in my need to express myself.
The dreams we wrote
The aspirations and hopes we once had.
These legs have been hurting
The pain and exhaustion we feel from standing for so long.
For too long
The discomfort has persisted for an extended period of time.
Crack the spine
The act of breaking open and examining one's innermost thoughts.
Put bones where they belong
Returning to the grounded and truthful roots of oneself.
Sorrow is an empty road
Sadness can leave one feeling aimless and without direction.
Our legs grow weak and tired
Exhaustion from enduring pain for too long has taken a toll on our bodies.
We become one with the dark
We fully inhabit and embrace the darkness within us.
All in my hands I hold a fire
Despite the darkness, we still hold onto a passionate and powerful flame within ourselves.
Pills been turning
Medication may have induced or altered our emotions.
Feelings up above
Emotions affecting and altering the state of our being.
Emotions controlled
Despite the influence of our feelings, we work to maintain a level of control.
You've fought so long
Enduring emotional struggle and pain takes a great amount of effort and strength.
Death makes the black smoke
Passing away induces a dark, choking feeling.
Rise in your throat
An overwhelming sensation of grief.
Goodbye to life as
Saying farewell to existence as we knew it.
Your life alone
Leaving behind a solitary life and journey.
We walk along the ocean
By the sea, we find a sense of peace and comfort.
And we dance in the sea
Taking solace in the beauty of the ocean and the freedom of movement it brings.
We feel connections to where
We find ourselves linked to the places we have been, even if we are not there in body.
Our presence still may be
Our essence exists, even in places we have left behind.
We will not carry on our life
We will not continue to live out our lives.
But those who cannot see
Others who have not experienced the same hardships that we have.
We sleep among the dirt with
Our remains are buried, mixed with those of many others who have passed on.
A thousand more lost souls
Countless others who have found themselves lost in their journeys.
I will be there until the end
I will be present until the completion of our struggles.
I'll never turn my back
I will remain steadfast and supportive.
I will be there when time is gone
Even when there is no longer a sense of time or place, I will still be present.
I will be dressed in black
I will continue to embrace the darkness within me.
Contributed by Elena E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.