Country meets metal, as Devin Dawson and HARDY map out “God’s Country” for Blake Shelton

ABC/Image Group LA; Warner NashvilleBlake Shelton‘s top-ten hit, “God’s Country,” was co-written by “All on Me” hitmaker Devin Dawson and “Rednecker” singer HARDY.

“God’s Country” fuses HARDY’s hardcore country leanings with Devin’s love for heavy metal. Before his country career, Devin was in the metal band Shadow of the Colossus.

Devin says “God’s Country” is reminiscent of Johnny Cash‘s Nine Inch Nails cover, “Hurt.”

“The last verse, he’s like ‘I don’t care what my headstone reads or what kind of pinewood box I end up in. When it’s my time, lay me six feet deep in God’s country,’” Devin sings.

“It reminds me… of ‘Hurt’ — Johnny Cash. And it’s got an ‘Ol’ Red’ feel to it,” he adds, mentioning Blake’s 2002 hit.

“But I think HARDY and I are like polar opposites when it comes to artistry,” Devin continues. “So I think that’s why it works so well, you know. And I got to bring my metal vibes into it a little bit.”

If you listen closely, you’ll also hear Devin’s vocals on “God’s Country.”

“I sing the harmony on the chorus and… that really high, kinda like ‘yeah’ part right before the second and third chorus,” he explains, “which again, that’s me reaching back into my metal days, because that’s about the highest I possibly can sing.”

The California native hopes this isn’t the last time he gets to work with his label mate.

“I think people like this side of Blake,” Devin tells ABC Radio, “and maybe we can get a chance to write one together or HARDY and I can just keep penning what he wants to cut.”

“But I hope that in the future maybe you’ll see us sing something together, you know. But we’ll see.”

HARDY’s also been doing his version of “God’s Country” in his recent shows.