REVOLUTION SAINTS – Rise
- Posted on 23-01-2020
The debut offering by Revolution Saints was a tad mediocre whereas its successor was better and most certainly a step in the right direction. Now, the trio seems to have well and truly unlocked its potential and conceived a batch of infectiously catchy tunes that draw heavily on 80s-inspired hard (melodic) rock.
The opening salvo consisting of “When the Heartache Has Gone” and “Price We Pay” is impressive and these two compositions in particular are undoubtedly two of the most energetic and well-crafted pieces by the band so far. While «Rise» is the radio single and bound to make waves in the melodic hard rock community, the two aforementioned tracks could easily have fulfilled that role as well. Anyway, we are off to a flying start and the record contains other melodic delights ala the three melancholy treats that are “Coming Home”, “Closer”, and “Talk to Me” – all of which deserve praise and repeated spins. “Higher” possesses some thick and crunchy riffs while “It’s Not the End (It’s Just the Beginning)” is arguably the heaviest track to be found on the disc. It all comes across as more of a group effort this time and it has a great flow to it. Castronovo’s superb drumming is also more prominent and hard-hitting this time around and the guitar solos by the skilled Doug Aldrich are better than earlier on too. The album does lose a bit of steam towards the end and “Win or Lose” and “Eyes of a Child” are decent tunes albeit somewhat forgettable.
There are more vocal hooks, muscular riffs, and ridiculously memorable melodies here than your average classic rock LP, and the entire affair is an uplifting one. Strong, competent, and with a bit more depth and edge to it than its two predecessors, “Rise” is most certainly worth investing in if you are on the lookout for a sharp and vigorous hard rock record.