New Device's 'Karöshi' - EP Review

It has been a little while since we last heard anything from New Device. The London-based four-piece have certainly been quiet of late, but the release of their third EP Karöshi earlier this months shows that the band have been busy behind the scenes. We last discussed New Device on this blog in 2017, when they celebrated their ten year anniversary by releasing the enjoyable Coming Home (which I reviewed here) - an all-acoustic EP that featured five new songs and two older songs re-worked in a gentler manner. It does not feel like three years since Coming Home, but then again the band have never been the busiest or most in-your-face on social media. New Device's live appearances are fairly rare, but their release output has always been pretty steady and consistent - and I have enjoyed everything that the band have put out over the years. It was with excitement then that I discovered last month that the band's latest EP was imminent, so I pre-ordered a copy straight away and waited eagerly for its arrival. Karöshi, which translates to something akin to 'death by overwork' in Japanese, is the band's third EP and sixth overall physical release. The band's only two studio albums, 2009's Takin' Over and 2013's Here We Stand, laid the groundwork for the New Device of today; but since then the band have largely decided to focus on EPs rather than full albums - each with their own flavour. The band's EPs form part of a series of releases using the artwork of Steve Meyer-Rassow, and I believe that Karöshi is the final of four releases to feature his talents. This project has been six years in the making, starting with the band's sole live album Takin' Over London in 2015. 2016's Devils on the Run (which I also reviewed here) and the aforementioned Coming Home complete the series and I think that New Device have found success and enjoyment with this 'little and often' release schedule. Some question the relevance of the traditional album as a musical format in the modern day, and New Device have showed that things can be done differently. While I feel that the album format is certainly very much alive and well, in the modern world they are certainly not a requirement of any band. Bands are able to get their music out to their fans in a variety of ways now, and New Device's trilogy of different-sounding EPs has certainly worked well for them. As much as I have enjoyed the other two releases in the trilogy, Karöshi is my favourite of the band's EPs yet. After modernising their sound somewhat on Devils on the Run, Karöshi at times feels like a bit of a throwback to the band's earliest work, without ever really compromising the development that they have made over the years. Karöshi is a hard-hitting piece of work, and certainly does not shy away from highlighting the heavier end of the band's sound. It is also the band's first release with bassist Lzi Hayes, who joined the ranks a couple of years ago.

Karöshi is split into two halves, with the first three tracks coming from a mostly self-produced session in a London studio and the final three songs coming from a different session that saw John Mitchell (Arena; Kino; Frost*; It Bites; Lonely Robot) and Harry Hess (Harem Scarem) employed on mixing and mastering duties respectively. In this respect, the EP feels like an old-fashioned vinyl record - with distinct flavours on each side. Interestingly, the most expansive songs are actually up first and it goes to show that the band do not need to rely on outside 'named' help to make them sound good. Burn Out the Sun is up first and it is one of the EP's strongest cuts, with a driving riff from long-time guitarist Matt Mallery kicking things off. Frontman Daniel Leigh has always been New Device's main man, but the other members of the band all rally around him and help him to bring his compositions to life. Mallery, who co-wrote the opening two numbers, shines during this hard-hitting opening track. His guitars lock in perfectly with Hayes' tight bass playing and drummer Greg 'Rozzy' Ison's precise double bass patterns - all while Leigh showcases why his is a very underrated and versatile singer with an anthemic chorus. New Device's early work was always characterised by a big stadium rock vibe, but their recent work has sought to modernise their sound somewhat. It is great to hear the band return to their roots somewhat here, and the chorus is going to be a real winner when it is played live. Lead single Wake Up follows in an equally anthemic fashion, but the stadium rock vibe of the opening number is mixed in perfectly with the more modern sound that the band has been chasing in recent years. A modern-sounding chorus at times recalls U2 dialled up to eleven, while the more laid back verses allow Hayes' bass playing to really shine. Leigh and Mallery's guitars chime throughout the song, helping to create a strong atmosphere, while the aforementioned chorus hits a little harder due to a slightly tougher arrangement. It is a soaring track that really grabs hold after only a couple of listens, and it is going to be another winner when the band get the chance to play it live. Mallery's guitar solo also fits perfectly within the cinematic, anthemic scope of the song - his tasteful leads capturing the overall vibe of the track. Open Your Arms ups the pace again somewhat after Wake Up slowed things down a little, and goes for a slightly crunchy hard rock approach that also retains a little of the atmosphere from the single. The main focus throughout the song is Leigh and his vocal melodies. His finely-crafted vocal lines are instantly catchy, and it is a song that demands to be sung along to - especially the fast-paced, yet sweet, chorus. Despite the crunching rhythms throughout, the song never feels heavy - but the chugging guitars help to give the song some weight. The balance is perfectly struck, and it caps off 'Side 1' of this EP nicely.

The EP's second half goes for a bit of a heavier overall sound. There is a noticeable difference in the guitar tone used during the later songs. This tougher sound helps the band to showcase a different side, but I actually think that their more self-produced songs are better suited to showcase the sound that they seem to want to focus on in 2020. Hell to Pay shines thanks to the heavier sound however, with Mallery's dirty guitar really driving everything - while Rozzy's potent drum patterns add some metal sensibilities at times. In some ways, the song feels like a real throwback to the band's first album. The guitar tone used here is very similar to the one found on Takin' Over, but track as a whole goes for a heavier feeling than the more anthemic approach taken eleven years ago. It is perhaps ironic that the most anthemic songs on this EP went for a more modern-sounding production style, while the songs that sound the least like the Takin' Over material go for a production style akin to that album. The mix is a little strange, but it works well still - and Hell to Pay is a great example of the band's heavier side. Bring the Stones has a similar sound, but the song is much more dynamic - with a gentle clean guitar opening and a structure that moves back and forward between 'gentle' verses and hard-hitting choruses. Mallery's guitars throughout the song very crunchy, while Leigh's slightly high-pitched voice is a perfect fit for the acrobatic chorus. The vocal melodies here are again very well crafted, and it is another song that will be stuck in your head after only a couple of listens. Despite the dynamic arrangement, the song is still very instantly memorable; and it shows that New Device are skilled at making songs that play with structure a little while still being packed full of strong melodies. The EP's closing number Kingdom of the Damned opens with possibly the release's most potent riff; and in fact the song feels like a real throwback to some of the tougher moments on the band's early releases. It is a high-octane hard rock track that never really lets the energy level drop - with Leigh's dramatic vocal performance leading the charge along with Mallery's metal-esque riffing. New Device are never truly a metal band, but they know how to hit hard when they need to - and Kingdom of the Damned is one of their most hard-hitting compositions yet. Rozzy. who has been holding the band together with Leigh since the beginning, puts in a real shift behind his drum kit here - and a mid-paced breakdown sees some of Mallery's grittiest riffing to date. It is fitting that the EP closes with its heaviest number, and it certainly leaves an impression as the disc comes to a close. Overall, Karöshi is a great sixth release from New Device and it is easily my favourite thing from the band since Here We Stand seven years ago. There are many great new hard rock bands out there, but New Device have a sound that is instantly recognisable - and this latest EP contains some of their finest compositions to date.

The EP was released on 3rd July 2020 via ND Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Wake Up.