It may have taken time and gone through obstacles to come to realisation, but Wild Card (Nuclear Blast) the second album from Dutch symphonic metallers ReVamp seems to have turned the wait into an aggression and snarl which elevates the beauty and passion of the release to another level. The album is a towering piece of skilled imagination and breath-taking symphonic grandeur, one which explores familiarity as well as originality in creating a new potent wind of invention and glory.
Founded by Floor Jansen in 2009 after the closure of her previous band After Forever, ReVamp drew critical acclaim with its debut self-titled album of 2010. The creation of its successor was slowed firstly by illness to the vocalist and then by Floor replacing departing Nightwish singer Anette Olzon last October for the band’s world tour. Whilst she was away the rest of the band worked on songs giving Floor a raw but sculpted canvas to work from on her return. The resulting release is an invigorating and striking encounter which delivers more than expectations and hunger hoped for and imagined.
Opener ‘The Anatomy Of A Nervous Breakdown: On The Sideline’ immediately lifts thoughts and emotions as carnivorous riffs explode from a distance into the ear, crisp rhythms caging their hunger with controlled intent whilst the bass prowls the side-lines with an equally rapacious glint in its eye. It is a thrilling entrance which continues to strike at and antagonise the senses in the very best way even as Floor unveils her stunning vocals, surely one of if not the best female voice in metal right now? She is a sun in the shadow drenched sinews of the song enhanced by the delicious vocal harmonies and melodic weaves preying on the passions around the chorus. Subtle shifts continue to grace the song, finding clarity after their initial engagement to increase the pleasure, whist the predacious harsh male vocals only stoke up the heart of the track further.
The following ‘The Anatomy Of A Nervous Breakdown: The Limbic System’ finds a restraint to its belligerent jaws which immediately brings variety to the album and though it maybe lacks the impact of the first song there is another furnace of hostility and seductive grandeur skilfully at work taking only ardour in return Through the likes of the title track where the djent/Meshuggah lilt of the guitars is entrenched deeper without losing the poetic melody coated lures, the magnetic ‘Nothing’, and the power ballad ‘Distorted Lullabies’ adventures evolve and create more compelling aural fascination. The middle track of the three takes thoughts and emotions of a flight through at times turbulent skies but also a passage of enthralling beauty before moving into a web of incendiary grooves and captivating enterprise, whilst the last starts as a tender caress and passionate evocation before opening its lungs for a pungent voice of melodic fire and heart bred fervour with choral callings aligned.
Each and every track finds a feisty welcome with the likes of the dramatic ‘I Can Become’ and the beauty and the beast like presence of ‘Misery’s No Crime’, featuring an excellent vocal contribution from guest growler ex-After Forever guitarist Mark Jansen, sparking greater greed whilst the stunning final track ‘Wolf And Dog’ steals the album’s biggest success with its riveting imagination and inflammatory passion.
Also featuring guest contributions from Devin Townsend, Mark Jansen (Epica), and Johan van Stratum (Stream Of Passion) amongst many, Wild Card is a major joy taking ReVamp up numerous steps in the genre ladder.
9/10
Pete Ringmaster