REVOCATION
Revocation’s fifth released album, ‘Deathless’, seems to be a worthy successor for their so well scored, self-titled album released in 2013. I was honestly surprised how it is possible for a band to release so much material in such a short time. This could be a problem if we were not talking about these Americans that do not seem to run out of ideas and beautiful compositions.
Maybe the “technical death metal” label is the one that can describe them better to the majority of listeners but I think this description falls short. Revocation are way more than that and you can see it shamelessly on this album. The different influences are vibrant in some (many) passages through the album. I still can’t understand how it is humanly possible to join so many styles and make them work in ONE song – I am able to notice some jazz, mixed with thrash, death and even some djent.
Many say that Revocation’s rhythm section can’t keep up with the virtuoso soloing that goes on during the album and that this band is only good because of their lead guitarist. That’s not true. I can point countless parts where the soloing was happening and the rhythm guitar and drums were killing it by being there in the right place, doing their job. Adding to that, the rhythm guitarist was able to create an entire atmosphere in perfect synch with a drummer that it’s quite amazing. Phil Dubois-Coyne destroys on this album, between perfectly timed and tasteful use of cymbals with a killing, extremely fast, double-bass.
I would only change one thing about this album and that would be the lack of emotion in the singing lines (this lack of emotion, it’s not as obvious in the instrumental part, so much stuff is going on but in such a brilliantly put manner). That is the only thing that stops me from going and listen to it over and over again. However, one thing I have to admit, David Davidson shares one thing with the rest of the band: he knows where and when to place those vocals and when to use or not to use clean vocals. You can only have a taste of that pretty unique clean voice for a few minutes during this 10 track album, but it’s enough to make you aware that something really good is hidden behind the thrash-death sound.
It’s an album for the “loud music” lovers, paralleled with excellent groove and composition. It’s an “all-in-one” due to their versatility of genres; they just need to catch the ones that need a bit more than a well written piece of music, a bit more of emotion. Maybe next year?
Maybe the “technical death metal” label is the one that can describe them better to the majority of listeners but I think this description falls short. Revocation are way more than that and you can see it shamelessly on this album. The different influences are vibrant in some (many) passages through the album. I still can’t understand how it is humanly possible to join so many styles and make them work in ONE song – I am able to notice some jazz, mixed with thrash, death and even some djent.
Many say that Revocation’s rhythm section can’t keep up with the virtuoso soloing that goes on during the album and that this band is only good because of their lead guitarist. That’s not true. I can point countless parts where the soloing was happening and the rhythm guitar and drums were killing it by being there in the right place, doing their job. Adding to that, the rhythm guitarist was able to create an entire atmosphere in perfect synch with a drummer that it’s quite amazing. Phil Dubois-Coyne destroys on this album, between perfectly timed and tasteful use of cymbals with a killing, extremely fast, double-bass.
I would only change one thing about this album and that would be the lack of emotion in the singing lines (this lack of emotion, it’s not as obvious in the instrumental part, so much stuff is going on but in such a brilliantly put manner). That is the only thing that stops me from going and listen to it over and over again. However, one thing I have to admit, David Davidson shares one thing with the rest of the band: he knows where and when to place those vocals and when to use or not to use clean vocals. You can only have a taste of that pretty unique clean voice for a few minutes during this 10 track album, but it’s enough to make you aware that something really good is hidden behind the thrash-death sound.
It’s an album for the “loud music” lovers, paralleled with excellent groove and composition. It’s an “all-in-one” due to their versatility of genres; they just need to catch the ones that need a bit more than a well written piece of music, a bit more of emotion. Maybe next year?
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Metal Blade
Album
DEATHLESS
Review by Salomé Sequeira
RUNNING TIME:
52:30
RELEASE DATE:
14th Oct 2014
TRACK LISTING
1) A Debt Owed to the Grave
2) Deathless
3) Labyrinth of Eyes
4) Madness Opus
5) Scorched Earth Policy
6) The Blackest Reaches
7) The Fix
8) United in Helotry
9) Apex
10) Witch Trials
2) Deathless
3) Labyrinth of Eyes
4) Madness Opus
5) Scorched Earth Policy
6) The Blackest Reaches
7) The Fix
8) United in Helotry
9) Apex
10) Witch Trials
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
USA
"...an album for the “loud music” lovers, paralleled with excellent groove and composition."
