Rising up out of the dark corners of Germany, CONTROVERSIAL broke their five-year silence to release their sophomore album "Revelation". This Technical Death Metal outfit blends a vast variety of elements to provide a unique and destructive sound. CONTROVERSIAL wanted to give this album a dark, gloomy, evil feel and they have surpassed their own expectations. The entire album was recorded and mixed independently and the band has provided a solid album that Death Metal fans and fans of other genres can enjoy.

Diving right into "Revelation", we are met with the opening track "Revelation". This track is full of interesting layers. Beginning with a symphonic element that runs through the entirety of the song. I really enjoyed that they added this to the track because it does give the first impression as dark and evil. The vocal work has almost a Black Metal style with piercing notes and ominous speech segments that give the track a gloomy depth. "Tales Of A Shattered Youth" really opens up the technical side of the band. The riffs are constantly changing throughout the track but they flow together very well. The melodic elements that are used in this song really give it that added groove that helps blend the insane guitar work. There are even some Industrial elements used as well. "Modern Era" showcases how CONTROVERSIAL can just throw down. This track is brutal and has a powerful drive that exists throughout the track. If you are looking for a song in this album to headbang to, then this one will meet that. The eviscerating vocals are layered over deep chugging instrumentals that give the track that heavy, brutal feel.

"Conspirist" will have your head spinning as you are assaulted with insane guitar solos, ridiculous riffs, and just downright bone crushing vocals. This track is a two-minute bullet ride to the depths of darkness. I swear the guitarists tried to use literally every part of the instrument to create this insane ride. "Fault Finder" returns us to the melodic side of CONTROVERSIAL. The track begins with piano and guitar work that is truly moving before the vocals come in and just rip you apart. The symphonic elements also return in this song to give it that extra finesse of a good composition. There are many more tracks on "Revelation", but as always, I encourage you to go explore more of this album.

It has taken five years for CONTROVERSIAL to release their second album and I can see why. The amount of work they had to put in to just arrange these songs is stunning. Not to mention creating them. They have meticulously put together a great album. I was thoroughly impressed with their use of symphonic elements. They knew exactly where to use them to give the album the feel they wanted and didn't over use them. This is a particularly well thought out album. "Revelation" blends very well and never become repetitive. There is something different in each and every track on this album. This is a powerhouse of an effort by the band and I'm sure it will be received well by Death Metal fans and other Metal fans!