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With "Existence is Futile", Revocation gives off a giant slab of the classic thrash sound with more modern production. Take that and mix a portion of Tech-Death into that, along with a few slight dashes of Pantera-groove, and you get this album.
The production is great, as said. For a thrash band it is a pretty strong point. The guitar is clear and melodic, and the bass can be clearly heard, and that's good, since there are some smooth groovy things going on in the background. Overall very well mixed.
The musicianship of the group is downright flawless on this record. The intro, "Enter the Hall" kicks off with a slow, breakdown tempo groove, building into a complete thrashfest, ending with tech-death arpeggios and a segue into the next track "Pestilence Reigns". Among all the great musicianship skills, I think one of the most notable things on here is that the major key is very prominent for a thrash band, something uncommon for such an intense genre.
Highlights include the intro, which as stated sets the bar high for the band at the beginning. The song it leads into, "Pestilence Reigns" continues this trend, eventually ending up with some fun instrumental tradeoff. The other instrumental, "Across Forests and Fjords" is fantastic as well, allowing the group to show off their strong composing and technical skills. "Dismantle the Dictator" starts off with unusual times and oddly placed angular melodies and finishes with an excellent solo.
Overall, this is a unique album with it's unusual blend of tech-death and thrash, and it works well. Granted, it's not the best neo-thrash album out there, but it speaks for itself and is well constructed. Recommended for neo-thrash fans mostly, but a good add to any metalhead's collection.