Globally renowned, chart-topping band DevilDriver recently announced the upcoming release of their highly-anticipated full-length album of outlaw country-gone-metal anthems, Outlaws 'Til The End. The monstrous collection of savage metal interpretations will be released via Napalm Records on July 6th, and pre-orders are available now in multiple formats here, with more format options coming soon.

The wait is over for new music! DevilDriver just dropped their full, haunting rendition of Hank3's "Country Heroes", featuring Hank3 himself on vocals. The album's starter track kicks in with an ominous classic outlaw/country western intro, instantly careening into a heavy assault accented by Hank3's Ozzy Osbourne-influenced vocal approach. Quickly veering towards full heavy metal with a grooving double bass foundation, the track travels into heavy-hitting signature DevilDriver territory, wrapping up with a hair-raising, whiskey-soaked solo by guitarist Neal Tiemann.

"This record would not have meant as much to me without having Hank3 on board," says DevilDriver vocalist Dez Fafara. "He is one of the most authentic and real outlaw country artists out there right now. I chose to record 'Country Heroes' because the lyrics are extremely well-written, and using the names of all the outlaws within the song really does the song justice. 'I'm drinking some George Jones and little bit a Coe...' etc., that is genius writing from Hank3 and should be recognized as such."

"I've heard this song as 'heavy' in my head for a very long time, so to re-track it and have Hank3 appear only to sing almost Ozzy-ish is just an over the top treat to the ears! Enjoy," adds Dez.

DevilDriver recently revealed the first of several segments of a new interview commentary series supporting the release of Outlaws 'Til The End. Entitled "Intro To Outlaw Country", part one features members of DevilDriver as well as album guests Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God, Lee Ving of Fear, Hank3, Wednesday 13, Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory and Brock Lindow of 36 Crazyfists discussing their personal introductions to the outlaw country genre and how it has influenced them as musicians.

In the video, Fafara details, "I got into my parents' record collection when I was younger, and that's what got me into music. And they have everything from The Doors, to Steppenwolf, to a lot of outlaw country, and even stuff like Kenny Rogers, laying around the house... but I think my true love [for outlaw country] came from when I started touring with Pantera. Them and on the Black Sabbath tour. I constantly was hearing those guys on the bus jamming outlaw country. If it wasn't Willie Nelson, it was Johnny Cash and bands like that. I just fell in love with the lyrics as well. The lyrical content is so fucking real..."

For more commentary, check out the "Intro To Outlaw Country" segment in the video commentary series below:

Outlaws 'Til The End is both a startling curveball and a ferocious statement of individuality from a band who have been a constant and effective force in the heavy metal world for the best part of two decades now. "I think real music has always gotten to me, whether it's the blues or even real Goth music like Bauhaus and Sisters Of Mercy, as well as outlaw country greats like Johnny Cash, Wayne "The Train" Hancock, and Willie Nelson," Fafara explains. "That stuff has always attracted me, and this is absolutely the real McCoy. The blues and outlaw country are what made rock n' roll. They were around before rock n' roll... and in my head, I've always heard these songs heavy."

From the opening seconds of Hank3's "Country Heroes" onward, Outlaws 'Til The End is simply one of the most invigorating records the band have made yet. More importantly, these evocative, irresistible songs have all been wholly rebuilt from the ground up, powered by the classic DevilDriver sound and embellished with Fafara's unmistakable feral roar. Outlaws 'Til The End was produced, mixed and recorded with Steve Evetts (Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die, Sepultura, The Cure), with Devildriver guitarist Mike Sprietzer also lending recording talents. The album was mastered by renowned engineer Alan Douches.

Completing this unprecedented project is a host of metal and country luminaries providing unforgettable cameos: horror metal icon Wednesday 13 lends his incensed rasp to George Jones' "If Drinking Don't Kill Me", 36 Crazyfists frontman Brock Lindow brings fire and soul to Steve Earle's, "Copperhead Road", and Fear Factory's Burton C. Bell helps to turn Richard Thompson's anti-war classic, "Dad's Gonna Kill Me", into a brooding gothic metal extravaganza. Meanwhile, Lamb Of God members Randy Blythe and Mark Morton contribute to an exhilarating decimation of Willie Nelson's "Whiskey River" before Randy makes a second appearance on DevilDriver's version of cowboy standard "Ghost Riders In The Sky"; the latter featuring the son of Johnny Cash himself.

Outlaws 'Til The End tracklisting:

"Country Heroes"
Written by Hank Williams III
Performed by Hank3 & Dez Fafara

"Whiskey River"
Written by Johnny Bush and Paul Stroud; recorded by Willie Nelson
Performed by Randy Blythe, Mark Morton of Lamb of God & Dez Fafara

"Outlaw Man"
Written by David Blue; recorded by the Eagles
Performed by Dez Fafara & Neal Tiemann of DevilDriver

"Ghost Riders in the Sky"
Written by Stan Jones
Performed by John Carter Cash, Ana Cristina Cash, Randy Blythe & Dez Fafara

"I'm the Only Hell (Mama Ever Raised)"
Written by Bobby Bobby Borchers, Wayne Kemp, Mack Vickery; recorded by Johnny Paycheck
Performed by Dez Fafara & DevilDriver

"If Drinking Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)"
Written by Harlan Sanders, Rick Beresford; recorded by George Jones
Performed by Wednesday13 & Dez Fafara

"The Man Comes Around"
Written by Johnny Cash
Performed by Lee Ving of Fear & Dez Fafara

"A Thousand Miles From Nowhere"
Written by Dwight Yoakam
Performed by Dez Fafara & Neal Tiemann of DevilDriver

"Copperhead Road"
Written by Steve Earle
Performed by Brock Lindow of 36 Crazyfists & Dez Fafara

"Dad's Gonna Kill Me"
Written by Richard Thompson
Performed by Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory & Dez Fafara

"A Country Boy Can Survive"
Written by Hank Williams Jr.
Performed by Dez Fafara & DevilDriver

"The Ride"
Written by J.B. Detterline Jr., Gary Gentry; recorded by David Allan Coe
Performed by Lee Ving of Fear & Dez Fafara

Still charging forward, proudly against the grain and on the form of their lives, DevilDriver have never made a record like Outlaws 'Til The End before. But then, nor has anyone else.The perfect marriage of badass country grit and neck-wrecking groove metal supremacy, it's a pistol-packing game-changer delivered by true heavy metal outlaws.
 
Stay tuned for more new music and videos coming soon in anticipation of Outlaws 'Til The End.
 
Upcoming DevilDriver performances:

July
12 - Oshkosh, WI - Rock USA
15 - Mansfield, OH - The World-Famous Historic Ohio State Reformatory, Home of the "Shawshank Prison" - Inkcarceration Music and Tattoo Festival