Welcome to The Saw’s Butcher Shop! Ya Girl, The Saw, is still attempting to reach back into 2022 to capture New Albums that we haven’t had a chance to talk about. One of those albums is Netherheaven, by Revocation; released on September 9, 2022 (Metal Blade). With Dave Davidson at the helm, you already know that this is a bangin’ new album!

Revocation formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 2000, but as Cryptic Warning. The founders – Dave Davidson (guitar, vocals), Phil Dubois-Coyne (drums) and Anthony Buda (bass) – met in high school, and decided to utilize their individual talents as a collective expression. With this line-up in tact, the band rebranded as Revocation in 2006, with a change of direction and style.

A Timeline

• 2008, Empire of the Obscene is released (self-release, Metal Blade reissue in 2015) and the band signs with Relapse Records. 
• 2009, Existence is Futile (Relapse) is released. 
• 2010, Revocation enlists Dan Gargiulo (rhythm guitar), becoming a four-piece. 
• 2012, Buda leaves the band, and Brett Bamberger is tapped for bass. 
• 2014, the band signs with Metal Blade Records and releases Deathless. 
• 2015, Dubois-Coyne (drums) leaves the band, and is replaced by Ash Pearson (ex- 3 Inches of Blood). 
• 2016, Great is Our Sin (Metal Blade) is released. 
• 2018, The Outer Ones (Metal Blade) is released. 
• 2020, Gargiulo leaves the band, and Revocation has remained a three-piece (live, the band enlists Noah Young as a second guitarist and backing vocals). 
• 2022, Netherheaven (Metal Blade) is released. 

Netherheaven

Netherheaven is a fine example of riff-driven Metal! Every. Single. Song. is an awesome display of Thrash fused Death Metal, at least musically. Ya Girl categorizes this album as, simply, Metal. Why? Because I wouldn’t say that Davidson utilizes gutterals or growls, for the most-part. Some of his vocals are nearly clean, with a hint of a deeper register (think Machine Head). He can do gutterals; samples are scattered throughout the album. It is the music that is incredible, here. The individual band members execute a brilliant sound – song structure, composition; riffs, and solos – on Netherheaven. And it is Davidson’s brilliant song writing that drives this band. He is the mastermind! 

One other aspect of this new album helps it to be categorized as Death Metal by some, and that is the lyrical content (it’s what qualified Slayer as Death Metal by some accounts). The visual effects of Davidson’s lyrics are awesome! As we’ve seen throughout 2022, lyrical content is usually a dark commentary on current events. If we cannot see it with our eyes, then we’ll hear it with our ears!

This is a great record, from the leading single (and opening track), “Diabolical Majesty,” to the closing track, “Re-Crucified” (featuring Trevor Strnad (RIP) and Corpsegrinder); including the seven songs between them. Every song is great, and Netherheaven is worthy of repeated play, daily. 

Rating: 8.5/10!! An incredible album of brilliant musicianship and song writing!

Favorite Songs: Diabolical Majesty, Galleries of Morbid Artistry, Godforsaken, Re-Crucified 

Stay Metal,

THE SAW