metallifeline D

DevilDriver is a groove metal band from Santa Barbara, California. Coal Chamber vocalist Dez Fafara was not happy with the direction Coal Chamber was going in musically, and met musicians who had a similar music interest at a barbecue and bar. Fafara, guitarists Evan Pitts and Jeff Kendrick, bassist Jon Miller, and then-guitarist John Boecklin formed Deathride. Due to copyright issues and the name being taken by several bands, Deathride changed its name to DevilDriver, which refers to bells Italian witches used to drive evil forces away.
The band's self-titled album was not well received by some music critics. The primary writer of the album, Pitts, left the band and was replaced by Mike Spreitzer. Their second album, The Fury of Our Maker's Hand received a better reception with critics, and entered the Billboard 200 at number 117. The band embarked on several tours including Ozzfest and a Guinness world record was attempted at the 2007 Download Festival for the "largest circle pit".
The band was originally known as Deathride, but due to their overwhelmingly bad reception, they changed their name in a hope to increase popularity. which was changed as Fafara felt there were too many bands with that name; a band in Norfolk, Virginia, and a bicycle racing team. Another problem was that the band's label, Roadrunner Records were unable to secure copyright. The members compiled a list of roughly two hundred names to go for a more original approach. Fafara's wife had a book by Italian witchcraft author Raven Grimassi on Stregheria, and came across the term 'devil driver'. The term 'devil driver' refers to bells Italian witches used to drive evil forces away. Fafara thought it was appropriate because it sounded "evil", and thought the term "suits his life". The band's logo is the Cross of Confusion, which has existed for thousands of years and refers to "question religion, question authority, question everything around you". Fafara was brought up to "question everything" and was exposed to Italian witchcraft through his grandparents.
Current members: Dez Fafara - vocals Mike Spreitzer - guitar Jeff Kendrick - guitar Jon Miller - bass John Boecklin - drums, additional guitar
Former members: Evan Pitts - Guitar