Uber Rock – 9/10 – When Darkness Calls Album Reviews

Detroit power metaller’s Reverence were born when vocalist Todd Michael Hall (Jack Starr’s Burning Starr) and guitarist Bryan Holland (Tokyo Blade, Arrest) joined forces in 2010 with a shared goal, to create their own brand of old school metal that brought together their influences of Judas Priest, Queensryche, Accept and Savatage. So into the mix came legendary drummer Steve ‘Dr Killdrums’ Wacholz (Savatage, Crimson Glory), second guitarist Pete Rossi and bassist Ned Meloni (Jack Starr’s Burning Starr, Funny Money). ‘When Darkness Calls’ is their highly anticipated debut album.

I was very excited when I first saw the cover of this album, the macabre artwork designed by Joseph Mello (who also designed the cover of Sabaton’s latest offering, ‘Carolus Rex’) depicting a skeletal reverend unleashing evil spirits from inside a church is striking, a design I instantly imagined wearing on a t-shirt. I only hoped the music contained within would live up to its packaging enough for me to want to own such a shirt, and I was not let down on this occasion.

On hearing the haunting intro to the title track (which is also the opening track) I thought I was onto something great and when the song burst into life around the one minute mark with its heavy riffs, shreds and pounding double bass drums I knew it and proceeded to crank up the volume and allow myself to be immersed into pure Power Metal Heaven. Todd Michael Hall’s vocals are simply stunning, his vast vocal range (4 octaves!) is perfectly suited to the genre, the second track, ‘Phantom Road’ is a perfect demonstration of this. To follow, insert several fist pumping, foot stomping anthemic Heavy Metal tunes complete with catchy choruses and awe inspiring guitar solos then, one track before the end, we are presented with ‘After the Leaves Have Fallen’ which softens the tone with its power ballad feel. This lulls you into a false sense of calm before the finishing track ‘Vengeance Is Mine’ goes for the jugular with its pounding riffs and spite filled vocals.

‘When Darkness Calls’ is an album I can see staying in my playlists for many years to come, it really grows from strength to strength with each listen. I guess will be buying myself that t-shirt very soon and hope to wear it in the front row of a Reverence gig at some point in the future.