Louderthanhell.net review of "Fate is Your Muse" Fortune Smiles Upon Them by Volff Monn US Writer www.louderthanhell.net April 9th, 2013 Ripple Music With all the distractions in the world these days, it's hard to sit through an entire record. Few bands get that sort of undivided attention from this furry critic, particularly those that are under the radar. It's the era of A.D.D. when it comes to albums. Things are moving too quickly. However, Devil To Pay has captured my limited lycanthropic attention. Fate Is Your Muse has a particular aura about it, a mystical sonic impression that imparts the mystery and danger of the tarot emulated on this album's cover art. The record has a stripped-down presence, but the sound is excellent — so much so that it sounds like this record was produced by a mega-dollar studio vet. With three prior releases to the band's credit, Devil To Pay has been refining it's songwriting expertise. The group is really skilled at using tempo to it's advantage to create dynamics, contrasting buzzing, saturated guitars courtesy of Rob Hough and Steve Janiak with Janiak's on-edge, whiskey-throated shamanistic vocals providing a great counterbalance whether the riffs are subdued and slinking or wide-open and bombastic. Individually, the songs slink with a mid-'70s vibe hybrid with the experience of 40 years of doomful rock music. The music has plenty of peaks and valleys, stylish frown-faced licks meandering amongst the gristle of the massive riffing intertwined. "Already Dead" is the flagship track, a creepy supernatural tune that succeeds in weaving just enough of a musical web of confusion to ultimately sound rock radio-friendly. Something of an out-of-body experience transferred into so many zeroes and ones, Fate Is Your Muse showcases songwriting that's purely magical and a seasoned delivery. Devil To Pay impresses the listener at each and every turn. Get out your wallet and give these boys their due.