Devilment

Devilment is a British metal band that started as a solo project by guitarist Daniel Finch in late 2011. The band struggled to keep a steady singer until Dani Filth, frontman of the extreme metal band Cradle of Filth, came on board. Their debut studio album, *The Great and Secret Show*, came out in November 2014.

Finch originally formed the project as Brutal Grooves Inc. in 2001, but in 2011 he assembled a full lineup with Simon Dawson on drums, Justin Walker on bass, and Kieron De Manns on guitar. After several vocalists didn’t stick, Finch’s friend Dani Filth agreed to sing on a few tracks, calling the sound “creepy and heavy but indelibly groovy.” That collaboration led to a studio demo called *Grotescapology*, finished in October 2012 after Filth completed work on Cradle of Filth’s album *The Manticore and Other Horrors*. The demo had eight tracks and served as a foundation after the drummer and two other members left.

In 2012 and 2013, new members joined: Nick Johnson on bass, Colin Parks on lead guitar, Lauren Francis on vocals and keyboards, and Aaron Boast on percussion. The band gained press and radio play that year. In September 2013, they entered Grindstone Studios in Suffolk with producer Scott Atkins, who had worked with Cradle of Filth, Behemoth, and others. They recorded 13 tracks, including a cover of Midnight Oil’s “Beds Are Burning” with guest vocals from Bam Margera of *Jackass* fame.

*The Great and Secret Show* was released on 3 November 2014. It closes with an orchestral version of “Even Your Blood Group Rejects Me” by Spencer Creaghan. That November, Devilment toured Europe with Lacuna Coil and Motionless in White. Founding member Daniel Finch left in late 2014.

The band’s second album, *The Mephisto Waltzes*, came out in November 2016 via Nuclear Blast. It took on a darker, more mature sound while keeping the core Devilment style, and featured Lauren Francis more prominently. Scott Atkins produced again. Colin Parks and Lauren Francis wrote the album, with composer John Phipps contributing the debut video for “Hitchcock Blonde.” New drummer Matt Alston replaced Aaron Boast. After a UK tour in December 2016, the band played the main stage at the UK’s Bloodstock Festival in August 2017. In November 2017, Caroline Campbell, formerly of Cradle of Filth, took over vocals and keyboards for December shows.