Howard Jones and LIGHT THE TORCH (formerly DEVIL YOU KNOW) have been through quite the tumultuous history full of drama, ups and downs, and plenty more. Between Jones' history with Killswitch and then the uncertainty that surrounded their recent name change to LIGHT THE TORCH, the band was due for a fresh start. With a lineup as talented as this, it was a shame to see any serious attention they could be getting being wasted on drama.

When the band announced their name change last summer, they also released a statement declaring they as well saw it as a fresh start, with a brand new 3^rd full length album on the way. We now have our hands on that album. "Revival" was released on March 30^th 2018 via Nuclear Blast Records, and truthfully it didn't wildly exceed any expectations or provide any mind blowing melodic metalcore beyond what we've already heard before. But, it is a rock solid album delivered with veteran precision, the songs are all excellent, and if you are a fan of the genre and these specific musicians, you are in for an awesome time.

This can also be where it gets tough to objectively review. People familiar with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, LIGHT THE TORCH, and Howard Jones already know they're going to love this album, I don't think it's possible for these musicians to release something that is outright bad. But to someone that is not invested in this genre or band already, I don't think there's anything here that is going to win them over. The songs are powerful and catchy, there are plenty of soft moments, plenty of hard moments, loads of groovy riffs, and Jones' soaring and epic vocals define the album as expected. But, it all remains well within the realm of established metalcore. There's not a lot of new concepts or innovation presented, which is totally fine. There's nothing wrong with veteran musicians taking an established sound and writing 12 songs that are really good. You just may want to have a pre-established ear for the sound to fully appreciate and enjoy how good the album is.

I think my favorite aspect of this album is the maturity in the writing. It's a longtime tradition for metal musicians, as they age, to slowly outgrow metal - especially with metalcore. As the angsty youth and sadness fades from the bands, so does the metal, usually. LIGHT THE TORCH is no exception. Generally speaking, this album explores the more melodic and softer side of metalcore. There are plenty of classic groove-n-chunk riffs, the occasional breakdown, and even some screams, but it's all done with the edge taken off of the traditional harshness heard in metal. It's metal, but it's less aggressive, angry, and all in all presented with a greater sense of melody and musicality. For the hardcore metalheads, you'll want to be in the mood for something softer. But that isn't to say the band abandons metal outright, they have not forgotten their roots. When it goes hard, it really does go hard, there are plenty of classic metalcore riffs to be found.

And to be honest I wasn't expecting there to be any harsh vocals on "Revival," I figured by now they would have moved on from them entirely. But low and behold, we heard substantial harsh vocals featured on not one, not two, but THREE tracks. Opener "Die Alone" features a bridge breakdown with epic screams, "Virus" is mostly screams in addition to some of the heaviest and most interesting guitar work, and heaviest song on the album "The Sound of Violence" is ENTIRELY harsh vocals, with no cleans to be found. Unsurprisingly, these are also my 3 favorite tracks on the album.

"Virus" in particular is AWESOME. I couldn't believe they didn't release it as a single, for my money it's far and away the best song on the album. It has cleans, screams, soft moments, and heavy moments. The guitar lines and bass in the background are chugging and resonant with an ambience that reminds me of something from CALIBAN. The chorus is maybe the weakest part of the song, but to be fair just about every chorus on the album is pretty cookie cutter. The breakdown/bridge is fucking phenomenal. Dank shit man.

There are still plenty of heavy metalcore riffs and the occasional scream to go around, but besides the 3 aforementioned tracks, the metal intensity definitely takes a back seat to Jones' amazing clean vocals and the incredible and melodic instrumental work. Which was to be expected from the beginning, and was an incredible success. The heavier moments are just the cherry on top, an ode to the fans and genre that made them, no doubt.

This is an epic and beautiful album. It's catchy, it's bold, it's unrelenting, and I think it is exactly the fresh start LIGHT THE TORCH was hoping for. A textbook and solid metalcore album that doesn't go above and beyond, but delivers the goods and is very satisfying. I hope to see LIGHT THE TORCH take what they've done here and elevate the sound into something that is more uniquely theirs (besides the obvious factor of having one of the most unique singers in metal). "Revival" will either be the perfect set up to a game changing 4^th album (or 2^nd, depending on how you want to view it), or it will set up a sophomore slump type situation if they fail to move the sound they've established here in a forward direction. Only time will tell what the future holds, but for now, enjoy the banger that is "Revival." For longtime fans, it is an absolute delight.