Of Unworldly Origin and Grand Presence:  Revocation Captivate the El Rey Theater, Playing “The Outer Ones” In Its Entirety

 September 28th, 2019

              There has seem to have been a trend that’s been starting with Metal bands for the last several years, or so:  Bands playing their most recent record in its entirety.  Often, it can be seemed as forced, gimmicky, or a lack of awareness of the quality of the new record itself.  If your most recent release is a powerful and excellent record, it’ll go right with the fans.  This is not the case for Revocation, as this show tonight would be the one-year anniversary of “The Outer Ones”.  Not at all as the description above explains, their new record is outstanding.  The most crystal production of their discography, well-balanced songs in tempo and atmosphere, and the riffage, along with the already spectacular guitar leads and solos, took on a whole new level of spirit and beauty.  Make no mistake, this might be their best record, thus far.  Seeing the record played in full, along with a ridiculously studded lineup on this tour with Voivod and Psycroptic, this would be a most welcoming Metal show to witness.

              It’s been a few years unfortunately for me, since I’ve been to the El Rey Theater.  The venue’s setup is fantastic, gorgeous lighting and just the right size, holding around 700 or so at max capacity.  I was thrilled to be back here again, and with a sizeable crowd already in the venue right at doors open, it was time to get this Metal event started.

              Opening the tour, to my and many in the crowd’s surprise, Conjurer from the U.K., with no knowledge about the band or anything of to expect.  Right away, the band bulldozed the venue with a vicious, booming riff, quite heavy to say the least.  I thought I was going to be hearing a solid Doom Metal band, but Conjurer had other plans for the night, displaying their entire weaponry of musicianship and emotion.  Not only were the riffs Doomish and crushing, but guitarists Brady Deeprose and Dan Nightingale provided various Post-Metal chords, haunting vocals and a shark bite like intensity, their energy onstage was vastly compelling and frantic.  So much so, in between songs, Dan brutally screamed without the mic, in which the audience was in awe and cheering loudly.  I felt Conjurer had 90s Punk energy inside a Doom/Post-Metal body, their set completely flew by.  Although the crowed enjoyed them, they were still the first band of the night, and you know Los Angeles crowds, can take a bit of time to get them warmed up.  Bassist Conor Marshall told everyone to “Wake the fuck up!” and went to the pit area and played the last song “Hadal” headbanging like crazy on the floor.  Conjurer definitely impressed the El Rey Theater, and I hope they can come back to the states sooner than later. 

1.      Choke

2.      Hollow

3.      Scorn

4.      Retch

5.      Hadal

I’ll admit, it’s fine and sometimes easier to see an all Death Metal show, but what was special for tonight, each band had a unique sound, a considerable amount from one another.  Skeletal Remains represented that next, with a ferocious Death Metal assault that got the first mosh pit going on the night.  The highlight of their set for me, was the morbid riffing style and the dexterity in the lead guitars from Chris Monroy and Adrian Obregon.  Their solos were tasteful, complex, swift, and truly menacing.  Although their abilities themselves were fantastic, I felt sometimes the structures of the songs were a small tad predictable.  The tempo I wish would represent their abilities more, as I feel their songwriting can become even greater with the talent they have.  There were many fans of the band tonight, with at least 30-40 Skeletal Remains shirts being represented, I do love seeing fans support their bands and their scene like that.  Overall, Skeletal Remains talent, darkness within the riffs, and their stellar lead guitar ability, stood out and delivered.

1.      Devouring Mortality

2.      Torture Labyrinth

3.      Internal Detestation

4.      Viral Hemorrhagic Pyrexia

5.      Beyond Cremation

6.      Traumatic Existence

By this point of the show, the crowd was wired, rocking, and packing the El Rey Theater, and especially coming up next, one of my most anticipated bands tonight, Tasmania’s own Psycroptic.  Seeing them last year at the 2018 Devastation on the Nation tour, their presence is always welcomed and cherished.  With their most recent and powerful release,

“As the Kingdom Drowns”, as 4 of the 7 songs tonight would be represented from said record, the live setting added an even extra layer of force and the more evidence of their constant evolution in songwriting, riff placing, and showing more quality of their elite level of playing.  Vocalist Jason Peppiatt could not perform on this tour due to family commitments, but another Jason, Jason Keyser of Origin that is, is taking over vocals for this tour, and if no one knows of his work in Skinless and Origin, he performed excellently.  His vocal work, outstanding crowd interaction and tremendous energy, was present and accounted for tonight, didn’t miss a beat.  The intro to “Frozen Gaze” had the crowd in a chaotic frenzy, with bassist Todd Stern headbanging non-stop with the fans, feeding off the energy.  The schizophrenic movement of the riffs, especially with the start-and-stop motions with the lightning fast staccato leads in and out, the new album was incredibly well-represented tonight.  Dave Haley’s cymbal precision and technical bass drumming never gets old, only becomes more astonishing to witness, especially with the faster “We Were the Keepers”.

     Anyone who knows me or my Metal background, already knows how I feel about this, but as always, anytime Joe Haley is on stage, it takes precedence over most of the entire show.  His guitar playing is unworldly, having the fundamentals mastered, mostly down-picking, and the attention to the calculation of riff structure, construction, theory, and sheer madness, makes it a tremendous honour to witness and behold each and every time.  I’m honest and truthful with my assessment of Metal music, Joe Haley is one of the greatest guitarists I’ve ever seen.  The level of craftmanship and thought within the music he creates for Psycroptic, was something I noticed way back when hearing “Scepter of the Ancients” in 2003, and the rapid evolution and ascending quality of the music continued to grow over time. 

     Mentioning that record now, it would be awesome to hear Psycroptic play more from the earlier records, but honestly, I do admire bands for changing it up constantly.  It’s wonderful to hear each band display a new story within a different setlist.  30 minutes isn’t enough time to truly enjoy Psycroptic the very most, but any amount of time to see them live goes the longest way.  One of the most remarkable highlights of the night. 

1.      We Were the Keepers

2.      Euphorinasia

3.      Frozen Gaze

4.      Directive

5.      Ob(Servant)

6.      Cold

7.      As the Kingdom Drowns

     The El Rey Theater was jam-packed, many also in attendance to hear the Canadian legends Voivod.  As soon as they took the stage, the entire venue erupted.  There was an immense amount of Voivod fans in attendance, screaming their name through almost every song.  The dissonance within their chords and eclectic riffing changes Voivod’s signature, and something that still amazes me to this day.  Sadly, with the passing of the founder and guitarist, Piggy, its incredible to know that this particular style of Metal riffing taking place in the late 80’s, setting up with what elite and monumental bands like Gorguts, Ulcerate, Deathspell Omega, and so many more following.  Guitarist “Chewy”, being in the band since 2008, represented beautifully Piggy’s work, performing all of the material with utter ease and joy.  Vocalist “Snake” had an old-school approach with the crowd, horns in the air, just thrilled to be interacting with everyone in the venue.  It was nostalgic and blissful to see a legend onstage.  His vocal approach to the Sci-Fi and technology-based lyrics were profound and captively told the story. It made the riffs compile into this boiling pot of imagination, and it stood out to me the most. 

     The only negative side for Voivod live for me, the longevity of the band shows their older Thrash roots, in which the tempo and intensity of the song structures themselves, feel somewhat tame to the Pre-Avant-Garde advanced riffing displayed.  Admittedly, I prefer and enjoy the most, my Thrash to be dark, technical, and fast.  Sometimes they worked within the songs, other times it ceased momentum of their set.  With that being said, their hour co-headlining set was met with a booming roar of approval.  Legends of their stature, especially of the style of Metal they help invent and assist, do not come around too often.  See Voivod every chance you’re able to, and then some.

1.      Post Society

2.      Psychic Vacuum

3.      Obsolete Beings

4.      The Prow

5.      Inconspiracy

6.      The Unknown Knows

7.      The End of Dormancy

8.      Overreaction

9.      Fall

10.  Voivod

     I was a little surprised to see a small portion of the crowd leave, as it was the Voivod fans who dedicated their night just to their band of choice.  Nevertheless, the venue was still packed like hungry sardines in anticipation of Revocation, the other half of the co-headlining set.  As the entire “The Outer Ones” record would be represented tonight, “Of Unworldly Origin” started off this epic 60-minute set. 

From their inception, Revocation has always had a vast amount of quality skill, intensity, and resounding smoothness.  But with their unbelievable progress into becoming the best Technical Death Metal band they can be, not only has their music gotten that much better than it already was, their overall awareness to detail and production have been exponentially improved.  The surreal light show within playing this entire record was almost a whole another concert to watch, simultaneously.  They not only enhanced the visuals; they created an added level of atmosphere within the music.  “Blood Atonement” was one of countless highlights of their set, with the opening spiraling gravity riffing representing their early awareness for fantastic structure, and stellar musicianship still be present still 13 years after the band’s inception.  Ash Pearson’s off-beat timing and detail-oriented style of drumming is constantly overlooked.  He doesn’t hit as brutally as say Mike Smith of Suffocation, but that’s not the point.  Ash picks his spots immensely well, as you can hear such an example in the end of “The Outer Ones.”  The riff continuing to go lower on the fretboard, played in the same number of notes and tempo, his cymbal work and perfectly timed snare hits to startle you as the notes lower and lower all through the very end of the song.  “Fathomless Catacomb” was another class of excellence to witness live.  The opening bursting dissonant riff, that shows up acapella 2:46 into the song, creates a vibrant and demented atmosphere.   Revocation’s sophistication to detail has been grossly underappreciated for too long, and it’s time to take notice with a large microscope.

     As described earlier with Joe Haley, the other highlight of the entire evening:  Dave Davidson himself.  Writing most of Revocation’s material, his insightful vision of the music and lyrics has engrained such a signature for Metal.  His degree of detail, guitar phasing, legato use, note placement, and pure oozing talent, has turned him into one of the most superior and powerful guitar players in Metal, period.  Hear the 2nd solo of “Scorched Earth Policy”, and you’ll be able to see, and hear everything I’m describing.  The vastness of his riff and lead guitar catalogue is absurd, even with seven albums in Revocation’s discography, continuing to blossom into a powerhouse within any and all Metal genres.  Davidson’s command of the stage, music, his solos, and the audience, were the best I’ve ever seen from him.  Knowing the quality of the music, and increasing every outside detail of Revocation, has transformed them into one of the most fascinating Metal bands playing today. 

After their monstrous “The Outer Ones” set, Dave announced another song to end their set, “An old-school song!” as he joyfully described.  All the way from their 2nd record “Existence is Futile”, “Dismantle the Dictator” closed their epic set.  The Thrash-iness of the song kept the crowd moving across the pit, properly ending this magical event the right way, it deserves to.

Some bands often playing their entire album live, whether reckless ambition or a lack of self-awareness of their product.  “The Outer Ones” from Revocation absolutely covers all ground and has and is proving playing your new record first to last live, can be a treat, enjoyment, and a proper learning experience of the sophistication of elite Extreme Metal.  Because of their jaw-dropping live and light production, and the quality of the material, the other highlight of this entire serene evening.  I immensely look forward to all of the progress Revocation is making within each show played.

The Outer Ones

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1.      Of Unworldly Origin

2.      That Which Consumes All Things

3.      Blood Atonement

4.      Fathomless Catacombs

5.      The Outer Ones

6.      Vanitas

7.      Ex Nihilo

8.      Luciferous

9.      A Starless Darkness

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10.  Dismantle the Dictator