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Revocation > Teratogenesis > Reviews
Revocation - Teratogenesis

Shredrogenesis - 85%

Feast for the Damned, June 15th, 2019

The band's first release after longtime bassist Anthony Buda left the band thus, making the band only have 2 out of the 3 original members. So it is obvious that people (myself included) might have doubts about this record, but let me tell you there is absolutely nothing to worry about here. Not only did they get a great replacement, they also managed to keep the quality of their music on the top.

They managed to implement some new elements, namely melodic death metal riffs (best example is The Grip Tightens) making the songs have a better flow. Worry not though, the technical elements are all here as expected from a Revocation record. The vocal delivery is still amazing. The thrash metal barking is still the strongest factor, but the death metal sounding growls are not something to be ashamed of (and dare I say that they have some almost black metal-ish shrieking here?). This is all great and shit, but this isn't where the album really shines because the band might just made the best solos in their career. They have a great flow to them, they sound complex yet not completely alien and they are cleverly placed in each song making them stand out. Also I would like to just mention the fact that Bound by Desires is literally the best Revocation song until this point.

Even though it has a lot of things going for it, it's nowhere near perfect while the song aren't exactly fillers (especially since we are talking about a 5 song EP), but they are missing that thrash metal edge that Chaos of Forms had. It could have been better with some more catchy chorus parts (don't get me wrong I don't want this to turn into a re-thrash album or something) since those elements mixing with the tech death instrumentation made the previous record so unique in my opinion.

Overall this EP pretty much has the greatest solos from the band's career and some stand out riffs, but it's not the next big thing in their career (that's 2 albums away from this). They managed to make entertaining songs without one of their core members and this is something I respect, but there is still room for improvement.

The highlight of the record is: Bound by Desires.

Play Freebug! - 72%

autothrall, August 9th, 2013

In lieu of dwelling on my lukewarm reaction to Revocation's latest, eponymous full-length, I went back to check out last year's Scion A/V freebie Teratogenesis, a 5-track EP that presumably showcased some of the Mass band's best work, according to what I've read. What is it about this A/V format that brings out such good in those who choose to use it? Just about every one of these short-players I've listened through has been money: Enslaved, Immolation, Wormrot, and sure enough, this band from my own backyard delivers on their own offering. What instantly appealed to me about the five tracks here was the tighter sense of songwriting scale, reliant on strong and memorable riffing structures moreso than trying to knock over the listener with the band's prowess and cluttered, claustrophobic riff patterns. These tunes don't bite off more than the band can chew, and apart from my usual disinterest in the vocals, there are at least two songs here which I'd gladly number among the best in their full body of work.

"The Grip Tightens" is one such case, an onslaught of melodic and catchy riffing which bridges the band's US thrash influences with their Swedish melodeath counterparts. One of the guitar progressions here pre-chorus is a bit generic and predictable, but once they hit the mood of that chorus it's even easy to forgive Davidson's barking, which to be fair is stronger and NASTIER sounding here than on several of their full-length efforts. They've even got a breakdown in there for all you At the Gates/Black Dahlia Murder fans, and as usual the lead sequence is extremely well dispensed. Another contender is "Maniacally Unleashed" a slightly tech thrashing beast in which the opening notes just pop into you like a scalpel, and then it picks up into an even more intense piece with blasting, wailing micro-solos and a great bridge. The riffs here are note-for-note superior to anything off their latest album (Revocation s/t), though I didn't love the vocals. I wasn't as convinced with the other tracks, but "Spurn the Outstretched Hand" and "Bound by Desire" were at least as solid as much of the material on Chaos of Forms; the latter bordering on a tech black/death hybrid with lots of blasting and tremolo melodies (but not exemplary for the style).

Production here is comparable to the records sandwiching it, pretty dry and effective without a lot of effects saucing up the guitars where unnecessary. This was also a nice place to introduce new bassist Bramberger, who does run rampant at a few opportunities, but often falls behind some of the rhythm guitars in "Spurt the Outstretched Hand" or "The Grip Tightens" to the degree that you forget he's even there. Drums are intense and admittedly, Dave's vocals are about half on fire and half their debilitating selves (so much less compelling than the music that they can seem obstructive). The few, cleaner, backing lines add a nice, numbing effect to the choruses without lapsing into shitty mallcore like Killswitch Engage. Lyrics remind me of Immolation or Suffocation, political in scope but packed with a few instances of death metal grandeur and gore, a bit hard to chew when you realize these are East Coasters who probably get breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts (or your local equivalent). But, hey, suspension of disbelief, right? Teratogenesis is pretty damn solid, and you cannot beat the price. Nothing amazing, but a great way to 'sample' the band, and if you like this you'll want to track down their sophomore Existence is Futile with haste.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

Best Revocation to date - 93%

thebrutalfive, March 10th, 2013

Revocation has been a band who I thought never got enough credit. They’ve put out exceptional releases for a few years now and keep getting better with each and every release. Last year, Scion A/V put out a free Revocation EP titled “Teratogenesis”. This is definitely Revocation’s best written material to date and should be the key release for the quartet from Boston, MA.

Lead guitarist and vocalist David Davidson plays some memorable solos and riffs in this record. He was voted ‘the best guitarist of modern metal’ on a little segment on metalsucks.net and he definitely shows his talents. The first track of the EP is "The Grip Tightens". This song is fast, thrashy, and compelling, and is a perfect start for the EP. The lyrics are great, too. That’s another thing, this EP has some very well-written lyrics and Davidson’s unique vocals are very clear, which have improved as well. The riffs are very catchy and the music and lyrics are both written by Davidson. There is a solo performed by rhythm guitarist/vocalist Dan Gargiulo and an ending solo performed by Davidson.

The second track, “Spurn the Outstretched Hand”, contains music written by Davidson and lyrics written by bassist Anthony Buda. Buda left the band after the release of “Teratogenesis” and was replaced by Brett Bamberger. This song has the addition of vocal work from rhythm guitarist Dan Gargiulo. He and Davidson give great vocal performances throughout and also excellent guitar performances. This song also has the trash elements to it and is similar to the first with great riffs that will get stuck in your head for days and a solo that will melt faces. The solo is done by Davidson.

The third song, “Maniacally Unleashed”, is written by Gargiulo and lyrics written by former bassist Buda. This song starts thrashy like the previous two and is heavier than them as well. The bass is more detectable in this song and the song slows down near the end before another epic solo from Davidson. This song and the fourth titled “Teratogenesis” are both more death metal-sounding than thrash. They are not straight death metal though, as the thrash elements still remain. These two tracks are probably the easiest to detect the bass on. This is a very guitar-dominated record, so the bass is not easily heard throughout. It’s nice to hear the bass after a couple songs. The music and lyrics are both written by Davidson for the fourth track.

Now to the last song. “Bound by Desire” is easily the best written Revocation song in their career, in my opinion at least. The music is written by Davidson and lyrics by Buda again. In this song you will be introduced to riffs and vocals done by Davidson and Gaugiulo, and then you reach the most memorable moments of the EP. For nearly three solid minutes, you will be given one of the catchiest riffs ever and a couple of face-melting solos. The first solo is performed by Gargiulo and the second by Davidson. This song is excellently written all around. The guitars, vocals, bass, drums: everything is pure magnificence. I had the pleasure of seeing Revocation live recently and was blown away by this song. Although the whole EP is worth picking up (it’s free, by the way), this song is definitely the most memorable.

You may have noticed I haven’t mentioned the percussion performance yet. It was solid and drummer Phil Dubois-Coyne did a great job. They were mixed very well and the control and speed is exceptional. With such a guitar-dominated EP, it’s often hard to pay attention to anything else.

Revocation has their best written material in this treat from Scion A/V and should be the release to launch this band to new levels. This was the best EP of 2012, and we can look forward to a full length in 2013. On a side note, these guys are excellent live and put on a hell of a show, so be sure to check them out if they hit your city. Pick up “Teratogenesis” right away. It’s free, it’s awesome, and is the best Revocation yet.

Don't listen if you're pregnant! - 82%

bartosso, February 24th, 2013

Thanks to Jonas a.k.a. UMUR and the list of the best free and legal metal music on the MMA forum, I've discovered Revocation and their newest ep, "Teratogenesis". Yep, it is released for free and it's great. What a treat! A fast, furious, and adventurous ride. A thrashy, deathly, hair-scorching bomb blast. A teratogenic roller coaster it is.

"Teratogenesis" is one of those modern death/thrash metal albums that you're tempted to call progressive, but that's not really the case. Every genre can be original to some extent without necessarily being "progressive". The music here is a modern-sounding, groovy, technical thrash metal with semi-death/semi-thrash vocals that's a little bit reminiscent of metalcore screaming. The album boasts quite unrestrained songwriting within the scope of the genre with an intriguing diversity of moods and, most of all, an excellent flow. Besides classic thrash metal riffs, the band interspersed the music with clever tech-death themes, cool melodic solos, and quite elaborate variations that keep your attention riveted throughout.

I haven't heard any of Revocation's full-length albums, but I'm pretty sure that calling "Teratogenesis" their showpiece wouldn't be an exaggeration. It's an extremely enjoyable piece of technical death/thrash metal that combines tradition with modernity. Essential to all thrash metal fans.

Tracks by ratings: 9/10[fantastic]: The Grip Tightens || 8/10[great]: Bound by Desire; Spurn the Outstretched Hand; Maniacally Unleashed; Teratogenesis || OVERALL = 82/100

-- Originally written for Metal Music Archives [www.metalmusicarchives.com] --

Getting closer - 79%

BloodIronBeer, November 16th, 2012

This EP is a bit less bluesy, jazz-esque, a bit more keen on putting the progressive nuances into the metal riffage itself; and I am not opposed to that. It's a smidge more death metal than previous efforts, and very consistently good; which is a problem I've had regarding this band. All of their previous material has had too much filler, and the blues/jazz thing seemed a bit forced from time to time.

Here, you can hear influences such as later Death and Atheist, there is lots of ornate thrash riffs, and bass parts that really fill out the music. Manically Unleashed has some seriously great riffage, great drum switch-ups/fills and absolutely killer guitar solo, the end of the song is a good example of where I think the band is heading, and I like this - the jazz and blues feel are there but toned down, and more genuine feeling. If they can put out a collection of songs that are as solid as this track, they will have a legitimate album.

Unfortunately, the end of the last track that seems to meander, and fails to punctuate what is being done, it lacks punch, like filler tracks from before. I'm still not a fan of Davidson's yell-style thrash vocals, and there is a harmlessness to the songs. I can't really tell what it is that makes Revocation less lethal than they should be, but it's always been there.

This is how I look at this band and release: a serious band because they obviously have talent, and a unique sound, but they have yet to refine it to the point of being a genre leader. They have to be able to stop making parts of songs that feel forced, and consistently crank out high octane, high quality riffs. I look at this band as being a tier down from bands like Obscura, Death and Anata. It may be that Davidson is just a pure guitarist and not much of a song writer - I don't know. The Grip Tightens and Manically Unleashed are really good tracks, the other tracks have some level of the same issues, but they seem to be focusing on fixing them. Getting closer, but I'm curious as to what the next release will hold.