Revengine

The Absence EP

Written by: PP on 11/01/2012 05:28:38

Revengine are a Finnish hard rock band from the Western part of the country, whose debut EP "Plan Your Escape" received a favorable treatment from the undersigned a couple of years ago. "The Absence" EP is their follow-up to that record, where the continue to sound like a little brother of several American mainstream rock bands put together, though this time with slightly less memorable songs.

On "Plan Your Escape", the band claimed Metallica as one of their influences, but it wasn't anywhere to be heard. Here, the inspiration starts sneaking into their expression in the vocal department. Vocalist Jokiranta now sounds like a cross between James Hetfield and Staind's Aaron Lewis, occasionally delving into the melancholic croons of the latter while balancing it out with some more angry, Hetfield-inspired yelling from time to time. A post-grunge vibe persists in their sound in the form of the guitar sound, as well as some rather accessible chorus sections, but this is one area where Revengine have taken a step back in my opinion. I'm no longer convinced that the songs have much airplay value, where "Plan Your Escape" definitely had its moments where that was the case.

Otherwise, "The Absence" EP continues pretty much where its predecessor left off. In other words, it's more of the same. The songs are a little too forgettable this time around, however, so awarding them a rating any higher is out of the question. The band is going to need a serious hit single on their next release to avoid creating a picture of themselves as a bland hard rock band that sounds no different from the big names in the genre, just without the two or three hit singles to sell the album.

6

Download: Characterized, The Absence
For the fans of: Staind, Breaking Benjamin, Smokesuit
Listen: Myspace

Release date 27.07.2011
Self-Released

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