Cheeky Devil displays Velvet touch

DELVE into the darker depths of bluesy rock ’n’ roll when mysterious Melbourne riff cult Devil Electric launch their debut album in Hobart on Saturday night.

Christos Athanasias (guitar), Tom Hulse (bass) and Mark Van De Beek (drums) first met at a gig by Melbourne rockers the Ugly Kings, and decided to form a band after bonding over their shared love of stoner rock and Black Sabbath.

The trio then began scouring for a lead singer able to elevate their sound to another level. Enter Pierina O’Brien, who had previously featured on the Ugly Kings’ single Goodbye.

With the line-up now locked in, Devil Electric set about crafting their fuzzed-out, riff-heavy signature sound, which Rolling Stone called “vintage doom meets modern rock”, and Metal Discovery described as “an interesting amalgam of arse-rattling doom metal and chilled-out, beefy stoner rock”.

Devil Electric released their debut EP, The Gods Below, in June last year, and followed it up last month by unveiling their self-titled debut album.

The album’s lead single, Hypnotica, is an epic six-and-a-half-minute blast of fuzzy, heavy bluesrock. The more upbeat second single, Lady Velvet, is out now.

The band recently embarked on a national tour to launch the album, and are coming to Tasmania for two shows this weekend.

They play at Launceston’s Greenwood Bar from 8pm tomorrow (with Pop Noi’Sop and Dog Dreams, $10 cover), then at Hobart’s Brisbane Hotel from 9pm on Saturday, with local supports August Wolfbiter, WOE and Dog Dreams.

Tickets are $10 at the door.