REVERY
"Avarice
and Absolution" (EVO Recordings; 2005)
Reviewed by Ray Van Horn Jr.
Living just north of Virginia, I can tell you that not only is the Maryland
metal scene on the verge of busting loose, but Virginia has already done so just
by merely giving us Lamb of God. Waving their hooks in your face is Virginia
Beach's Revery, a band hellbent on restoring melodic metal to its fullest
propensity, now that hard music has strayed into different territories away from
straightforward rock sensibilities. Revery punches and drives in the vein of
Shinedown, Nickelback, Seether, Flashpoint and on occasion Puddle of Mudd.
Whether it's the fist-pumping "Sugar Star," "In the Way She," "The Truth," or
the way they grab some of the alluring formulas coating Stone Temple Pilots,
Velvet Revolver and The Cult on their blatant single "Popstar Wedding," Revery
is all about the catch, the melody, the hook. Their music rides shotgun and
occasionally behind the wheel. You will find nothing new or groundbreaking here,
which seems to be Revery's goal, in all honesty. They'd rather win you over with
commercial groove and melody in Motley Crue fashion; "Bleed Alone" and "Walk the
World" are rather telling songs in this aspect. The Sevendust-like "August" or
the laidback sudsy sprawl of "Penelope" and "Secondhand Redemption" will also
find themselves nestled into your rocking microcosm if you like your heavy metal
simplistic not overcomplicated.
In short, Revery is meat and potatoes, Yuengling and Jack Daniels, football and
sweaty sex. Like Bullistic and Soulbent, Revery is a young group of rockers that
parties behind their rudimentary rock in eighties fashion, but with less
starkness. If you're tapping your foot while daydreaming of being off-the-clock
in midday while toasting someone you really dig with a shot glass, that probably
suits Revery just fine.
For more information, check out www.reverymusic.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2005 by R. Scott Bolton. All
rights reserved.
Revised: 18 Nov 2024 13:00:26 -0500
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