Under The Light
Revival Black
•
October 16, 2022
REVIVAL BLACK are a Hard Rock band from Liverpool in England. This is their second album released by TMR Rock Records. It's been a long time since a British rock band have really impressed me with stellar musicianship, incredible vocals and memorable songs and I'm pleased to say REVIVAL BLACK fulfil that in spades. I've not heard their debut album but on the strength of this album, REVIVAL BLACK has a supremely bright future.
It starts off with a slab of Hard Rock goodness with "Believe" which is well produced, has solid musicianship and a great vocal and chorus. Later in the song there's a great chugging riff over which a magnificent solo plays over. Some 'Whooow Whooow' backing vocals round out the song nicely, without sounding cheesy. A great start. "Take You Out" continues the 'Whooow Whooow' vocals at the start. It has a more mid paced verse but a faster chorus with the 'Whooow Whooow' backing vocals . This will undoubtedly be a great live sing-a-long song and Dan's vocals are fabulous.
Both "See You Again" and "Broken Home"are also fabulous tracks, memorable and kick-ass with soaring vocals. Really what's not to like! Of course every Hard Rock album has to have the obligatory ballad but "Hemispheres" is a magnificent example of how to do a ballad right. A gorgeous acoustic intro and Dan's beautifully passionate and emotive vocals build to a guitar driven song. There's some gentle lead guitar later which builds with the rhythm and Dan's soaring and powerful vocals to make an exceptional song. The acoustic ending is just perfect. It's the longest song at over 5 minutes but it really doesn't seem it.
Also it's the only ballad on the album which makes it a stand-out track amongst the harder-edged material either side. I did get emotional listening to this song so don't be surprised if you do too. "Left Of Me" returns to the heavier theme and is also a great track with strong vocals in the verse, a fabulous chorus and a nice slower dirty groove to a later riff, before a lead guitar solo brings the song back to the chorus. "Change My Mind" starts with a great scratchy riff and again has a great chorus. The track slows down towards the end with a tasty lead before building to the chorus again.
The album ends on the mighty "Hurricane" with a mid-paced verse and gentle vocals with a strong chorus. A piano riff half-way in the song slows the track down, adds a different dynamic and builds with some great wah-wah lead into a powerful song. The album definitely ends on a bang. It's hard to find fault with this album. It's a superlative slab of Hard Rock brilliance which fans of Classic/Hard Rock should check out immediately. There is a familiarity to some of the songs but Dan's fantastic vocals (and really he is an astonishing vocalist) raise the songs up into something special.
9 / 10
Almost Perfect
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production
"Under The Light" Track-listing:
1. Believe
2 Take You Out
3. See You Again
4. Broken Home
5. Hemispheres
6. Under Fire
7. Left Of Me
8. Change My Mind
9. Wrong Side
10. Hurricane
Revival Black Lineup:
Dan Byrne - Lead Vocals
Alan Rimmer - Lead Guitar/Rhythm Guitar
Adam Kerbache - Rhythm Guitar/Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals
Jamie Hayward - Bass/Backing Vocals
Ash Janes - Drums/Backing Vocals
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