Courtesy of The Devastators

With a name such as The Devastators, the first mental image that comes to mind might be something along the lines of a European death metal band that writes about magical demons and the depths of hell over decadently brutal guitar riffs. Lucky for us, the name is misleading. The four-man band, formed in 2000, is probably as far away from metal as you can get, claiming reggae as its genre of choice.

The Devastators, originally titled Spaceman Spiff when created in 2000, evolved from a jazz/funk band into one of the best reggae bands in San Diego’s music scene. Even though the band, like many others in its early years, has seen quite a few members come and go, it finally reached a point where it found stability, and the ensuing result was a change to reggae.

If you’re still wondering, the group’s name is a homage to some of the bands The Devastators drew inspiration from.

“The name pays tribute to and is inspired by some of the classic Jamaican reggae acts we grew up listening to,” keyboardist Alex Somerville said. “Bands such as The Upsetters, The Gladiators, The Aggrovators, to name a few.”

When compared to those names, all of a sudden “The Devastators” doesn’t seem as odd a name for a band.

If you’ve made it this far and you’re done wondering about the name and have moved on to the question, “Why is this band so much better than any other Bob Marley-sounding band?” then here’s your answer.

Sure, many bands out there can find catchy melodies, but not very many have talent that extends down to the individual level. In other words, most bands you’ll hear when you listen to the radio will carry a melody with the vocals or guitar, or if you’re lucky, maybe both.

The members of The Devastators, however, are able to communicate musically with one another in such a way that every player can interact with the others on a greater level, enhancing the overall quality of the sound they produce.

“Having the same players for more than five years has allowed us to really get to know one another musically and has helped to forge our sound,” Somerville said. “The musical dynamics and non-verbal communication you can achieve when a group of musicians have been playing together for years is a mystic thing.”

The group already has two albums under its belt, a third album is on its way, the latter sporting a rawer, more live feel. Although there is no release date yet, the band is shooting for an end-of-the-year release.