Expulsion from the Paradise

Listening to the opening track The Day of the Sky Tears many are indeed likely to think they have managed to lay a hand on the last forgotten Summoning album which had remained buried for centuries in the heart of the Isengard caves. There are actually more than one similarity between the famous “Tolkien-metal” act and this not-so-famous band from Belarus. Two bandmembers in every case, programmed drums, a strong emphasis on atmospheric keyboards as well as synthetic orchestrations, an epic feeling and majestic slow-paced songs, you may get the picture by now. However, I don’t know whether there has been a genuine Summoning influence on Revelation, or if it’s just another trick the Destiny is playing to us, poor mortals.

Some may object we didn’t need another Summoning. One is already enough and, while I don’t really mind them, they usually tend to get on my nerves a bit too quickly. The same goes with this album, some parts tending to become very monotonous when the same bars are repeated ad nauseam with little to no variation. The worst example being the interlude Voice of the Silence consisting in barely more than the same six high-pitched keyboard notes used during two minutes and a half, in a way which would probably drive the listener mad if he had the good idea to listen to it again. Soundtrack for the Inquisition, that’s it. Dealing with the genuine songs, Forgotten Empire is easily the weakest for a similar reason, even if this one is, at least, tolerable.

But, looking deeper, Revelation isn’t a perfect Summoning clone. Of course the lyrics and themes are different, but this wouldn’t be a sufficient reason. Now if Summoning, as hard to classify as they are, may be categorized as atmospheric black with doom elements, Revelation leans more towards the doom side. The overall pace of both bands is almost identical, but the Byelorussian act tends to introduce more very slow breaks and structural changes, which eventually might make their music more varied than the one of their well-known model. The piano as well is a tad more present, creating an eerie, gothic vibe. What enables tracks like The Day the Sky Tears or Celebration of Madness, which are otherwise pure worship of “the other band I won’t mention again”, to nonetheless take on their own, distinctive personality. The Day the Sky Tears especially, which is on a sidenote the longest song of the album, accounts to a pretty mysterious, haunting work, especially when combined with the preceding organ-driven general intro.

The vocals are also different, mostly consisting in low-ranged growls having nothing in common with the ear-scorching shrieks of Silenius and Protector. Granted, those vocals aren’t the most memorable Revelation’s characteristic, ending more than once in some shapeless mumblings which don’t necessarily fit well with the music; but all in all they’re far from being awful. There also are some clean, often whispered parts, but these remain anecdotic.

Now one can’t conclude on this work without mentioning the monolithic third track – My Room. A weird, gloomy piece of work when seen at the light of the rest of the release, as for once one would be in pain to notice any Summoning similarity here. Slower than any other song here, it might evoke a darkwave-influenced Draconian if this comparison makes any sense, but what is sure is such a bleak track is likely to prove anyone everything isn’t well in this somewhat twisted world. “My Room... the kingdom of my Melancholy”. Indeed.

Finally the guys also had the surprising idea to close the album on a cover (Listen to your Heart) which sounds like radio-friendly, keyboard-laden slow pop music. I haven’t still managed to determine if I disliked it or not, as they turned it to a pretty emotional song, though undoubtedly still out-of-place here. Another oddity of this release which overall amounts to a pleasant work which doesn’t deserve to be disregarded. You know, I even sometimes enjoy it more than Summoning.

Highlights: The Day the Sky Tears, My Room, ...And Death is just a Beginning