Revocation - Chaos of Forms

Revocation is the kind of modern band that makes you proud a be a metalhead. This is a young, immensely talented outfit that harbors both serious respect and admiration for the metal of old and a desire put their own distinctive stamp on things. And as their sophomore outing Existence Is Futileproved, that stamp is a force to be reckoned with. A seamless mix of fun retro-thrash energy and futurist tech-death-inspired flair, Existence was such a ferocious and enjoyable blend that it was easy to get mighty excited about what this trio had in store for the metal world. And third full-length Chaos of Forms fully delivers on the promise shown by its predecessor, as this is one of the most original and flat-out entertaining albums to be released in a year that is already jam-packed with quality material.

Revocation certainly doesn’t waste any time out of the gate on their third LP, as opening twosome “Cretin” and “Cradle Robber” rocket forward from the starting line as two of the most intense songs the band has penned to date. While these tracks show the band at their most blistering, it's when they begin unleashing their endless variety of tricks and sounds that the album really delivers. The musicianship is, unsurprisingly, as impressive as ever. The drumming performance is fucking titanic, and the entire band just clicks seamlessly at the style they play, regardless of what tempo or riffing style they’re utilizing. I miss some of the bass-centric moments of Existence Is Futile, but the huge variety of tones and methods employed in the riff-writing department is quite simply a marvel to witness.Revocation’s ability to take tech-death riffs and deliver them with a thrashing, ferocious sense of timing and catchiness continues to set them apart from virtually all of their peers, and their dedication to delivering memorable songs is inspiring. Just take a listen to the obscenely catchy chorus to “Dissolution Ritual” or the delicious series of mind-bending melodies that conclude the title track – these guys have got it, folks.

While the core of Chaos of Forms is similar to its predecessor, no one can accuse Revocation of resting on their laurels with this release. The band has added some interesting stylistic progressions to their base that effectively separate it from their past two albums. I was surprised to see the inclusion of some hearty, melodic Darkane-esque vocals to the equation, and even more surprised at how well-suited they feel to the songs (particularly since the harsh vocals are starting to get a little stale at this juncture). The soaring vocal harmonies in tracks like “Conjuring the Cataclysm” add a new dimension toRevocation’s sound that opens up some interesting possibilities for future recordings. The Latin, blues, and jazz elements the band occasionally toys with feel a little more gimmicky, but considering the utterly unpretentious nature of the music as a whole, it becomes easy to just enjoy them as small breaks from the calculated chaos – the same goes for the keyboard/cowbell-laden breakdown in “The Watchers” (yes, really). No matter how absurd or out-of-place the genre-bending may initially seem,Revocation makes it stick in the long run.

In spite of the fact that the bulk of this music is basically an extension of Existence Is Futile, Chaos of Forms is a remarkably fresh and lively-sounding release. Revocation hasn’t succumbed to the trappings of their increased exposure or success, and if anything, they have challenged themselves even more to sound inspired while remaining true to their established identity. With both the technical death and retro-thrash/crossover movements losing steam, Revocation is boldly spearheading the growth of a new sound that’s technically proficient, relentlessly metal, and moderately accessible all at the same time. Chaos of Forms is an ideal follow-up to Existence Is Futile and one of the strongest albums of 2011, and if you still haven’t checked out what this band is doing, you’re missing out. Plain and simple.