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| sac666
Aug
15
2012
|
This is well structured and well delivered textbook metal. On the first hear you don’t think it is special but its more than meets the ‘ear’. It is mid-paced with great riffs and vocals which are clear but delivers a punch. It is magnetic and you are drawn to it. That is a sign of gem. |
| WeRock
Jun
22
2012
CD [Rating46011482] |
Reverence When Darkness Calls by Angela “MetalDancer” Van Der Kreeft http://www.metal-temple.co…erence-when.htmREVERENCE was brought to life in 2010, so this band is a new be, but the members certainly aren’t since REVERENCE features members from: TOKYO BLADE, SAVATAGE, CRIMSON GLORY and JACK STARR’S BURNING STARR. So REVERENCE’s a band that does contain a lot of experience and that does show very clearly on their heavy power metal debut album “When Darkness Calls”, brought through Razar Ice Records. Lucky me that I did get the chance to listen to this kick ass album and write a review.Being experienced doesn’t always mean being able to put down a great album, but in this case it does, also because the chemistry between the members of REVERENCE does feel sincere and very powerful. And chemistry together isn’t something you can just buy. It’s simply not always there, no matter how experienced members are, but when the team chemistry between the members is there, the music gains an extra dimension and that’s always a treat for the listener in special at live concerts. REVERENCE did put down a powerful heavy and passionate album with “When Darkness Calls”. According to their Facebook page they like JUDAS PRIEST, DIO, PRIMAL FEAR, SAVATAGE and QUEENSRYCH and that shows. Not that REVERENCE does sound like any of them, but because their sound can be found somewhere in between all of them with their own sound. A sound that makes this Metal head happy. So weird that sometimes music can make me feel more at home than people can. Have been to strange places where I had never been before, but where I felt at home right away because they played the music I love. Well that’s how “When Darkness Calls” made me feel right from the start. At home. “When Darkness Calls” contains great bass work, wonderful guitar work, smashing drum work, amazing vocal work and chemistry teamwork, brought together in a tour through dark places and over Heavy Metal roads on a powerful motorcycle to make you feel the hot, the cold and wind rush by while riding the powerful steel horse touring the places where darkness calls. Every song has its own strength to hold water and stand, giving this album the energy to grow your hair and let the wind rush by. Guess that REVERENCE did get me hooked with their masterpiece called “When Darkness Calls”. |
| pingus
Jun
17
2012
|
Well it’s been a few weeks and I have been sitting on the new ripping pure heavy metal work from the star project that is Reverence, a new outfit brought to you from the blue collar fusion of former members of Savatage, Tokyo Blade, Crimson Glory and Jack Starr’s Burning Starr. I’ve been looking forward to finally digesting what these guys would bring to the table; despite the hype in known circles or the experience factor, you really never can tell if band mates can collaborate with passion and just hit that point where everything just CLICKS……. but the evidence of the formula working isn’t too hard to find on When Darkness Calls.From the very discovery of the creeping haunting guitar opening in the title track, we kick it into high gear with a devilish groove that sets sail and never looks back. Bringing a mix of trash and classic heavy metal to the table, Reverence endears the listener to just sit back and bang their freaking skull with conviction. Just wait till you hear the sick rhythm and bass work on the tune “Phantom Road”, pure power people! Open up your ears and behold the POWER!!!. Oh, and did I mention that the former Savatage drum legend Steve “Dr Kill Drums” Wacholz does a gaudy job on the drums, you knew that already but you can’t help but get sucked into the maniacal drum work of this underrated and amazing battery operator.The guitars, courtesy of both Bryan Holland and Pete Rossi, bring a super crunchy and keen sense of direction to each song. It’s one thing to hear a metal song with your basic pounding, repetitive riffs and distortion, but when you add some kick ass melody to the song structure, it just works and makes the listener more in tune; something the guys really tap into. Got an early copy of the track “Too Late” which we have featured on MGM’s music showcase and the haunting Savatage-esque guitar work once more slices things up nicely for yet another cunning guitar job. “Does the good stuff ever end on this album?” I asked myself when I heard it the first time around……no, not even CLOSE!!!!
Let’s give some ear shattering credit to the great vocals of front man Todd Michael Hall who quite possibly may have exploded some kidney stones when singing on this record. The guitar work just leaves traces of memorable ashes in the fall once more with it’s unique tone. The bass and drum don’t stride too far behind as they come together on the heavy heart pounding of “The Price you Pay”, priceless!!!! Finally we get to my favorite tune on the record in my opinion and that is the compelling awesomeness that is “After The Leaves Have Fallen”, not even going to say anything else other then blast this tune and just jam, beautifully and powerfully done. Anybody that knows our editors, writers, and weekly contributors try to be as objective and honest as we can possibly can with the amount of material we listen to every day and it’s our job as a magazine to inform YOU the reader about bands that need the exposure because their music merits it. Well, Reverence needs the exposure as we all know in today’s music market is extremely hard to sell albums anymore and the only way bands make any profit is by touring, but if you’re not a big shot band then you know the latter is quite tall and climbing the corporate bs latter of today’s rock scene is a daunting task. In all honesty “When Darkness Calls” is one of the best metal albums I heard in quite a few years, one the hard working musicians involved have put every inch of energy into a full product and you can sense it through each song, they flow perfectly with utter emotion, melody, ear pounding sweat and vocal prowess. An album like this is what we, as an online magazine, envision: a band that needs the attention and deservingly so we give every chance we can to tell our readers to go out and buy this MUST HAVE METAL ALBUM!!!! I don’t give too many perfect scores when I rate records because is hard to listen to albums that I can truly say, it’s mind blowing or impacted me personally on any given level, but I felt that Reverence takes all the elements of the Metal genre and expertly consummates their sound into a melting pot of bombardment that is hard to ignore and that folks is why I listen to this kind of music!!!! BUY NOW HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! |
| Butterflyman
Jun
01
2012
Excellent
[Rating45568505] |
I know not a lot of folks have listened to the last several albums by Burning Starr, even if you may have heard some of their early work in the 80’s. I would like to point out that on the last 2 albums they have had a singer named Todd Michael Hall. Great first name and great rest of the name if you are a fan of Dexter! Todd can soar, has a 4 octave vocal range and sings in tune! Well, if you don’t want to check out the last 2 Burning Starr albums and want to hear Todd in a bit more of a power metal setting, then I would check out the album When Darkness Calls. It is the debut offering by the Detroit, Michigan band Reverence. Reverence also includes a couple of former members of Tokyo Blade and the drummer Steve “Doc” Wacholz. I am sure many of you know Doc as one of the founding members ofSavatage and Doc is also a former drummer for the band Crimson Glory.When Darkness Calls is a power metal album with varying amounts of heavy metal influence to it. Given the high caliber of musicians on the album, you can expect some excellent musicianship with plenty of terrific guitar work and impressive drumming. Since I am a power metal lover, I enjoy the more power metal oriented songs better, but all the songs are catchy and worth a listen. What makes this album even more enjoyable to listen than the catchy songs and excellent musicianship are the vocals of Todd. Oh, his vocals are high in the mix and hard to miss, but he really is outstanding and a real treat to listen to sing. The band seems to have written songs to certainly take advantage of Todd’s soaring 4 octave voice. In fact, I believe the album deserves an extra 1/2 star just because of Todd’s outstanding performance.If you like what I have written thus far and like melodic power/heavy metal with outstanding musicianship, I would have a go at When Darkness Calls. Hell, I would have a go at When Darkness Calls just to hear Todd sing, too! |
