There seems to be a grand revival in the immortalised NWOBHM genre, with many a new band going back to the roots of IRON MAIDEN, BLACK SABBATH and the like. Another one of these bands is Sweden's REVELATIONS, having recently come out with an EP, "Warning". What originally drew me in was the stellar mixing; as crisp and clear as you could want it; a more polished 70's sound.

"Strange Dreams" begins with a bass riff hinting profusely at early IRON MAIDEN; the kicking in of the guitars very well screams it, carrying on a heavy, but melodic jive that prevails throughout the song. This is as close to Di'Anno-era MAIDEN as a band could get. Lasse's vocals, however, are much smoother and slightly more Bluesy, not too dissimilar to Ozzy in the early years of BLACK SABBATH. The SABBATHian vibe is projected to full extent in "Under the Gun", with a heavier groove, and a more pained, emotive vocal delivery. The Bluesy lead delivery by Anders perfectly compliments Lasse's tendency to mellow into a croon.

"Another Lie" is easily my favorite track here. The riffs delivered are incredibly catchy and original; here the band manages to purvey a sound that is of their own, setting themselves just enough apart from MAIDEN and SABBATH. "Jealousy" is a much slower track, taking it down a few notches in heaviness and is more of a melodic Hard Rock piece. The vocal delivery is once again present with subtly, yet different embellishments; this track is the essence of 70's rock, with that quintessential blend of quaint heaviness, catchiness, Bluesy melodies and groove.

Admittedly I was surprised; it is rare to hear modern NWOBHM bands (that is, if you like labels), that do not sound like carbon copies of the aforementioned; rather, these tracks managed to mold their identity into something special.