Two Evils Reviewed by Shred Reviews

Listening to Two Evils evokes a definite wave of nostalgia in many ways…a talented British band with a heady variety of influences to draw upon, formed in the Midlands and unafraid to make modern metal in their very own style which recalls some very old school elements and yet retains a modern edge. Revenant Dead combine elements of Black metal, Industrial, Thrash, NWOBHM, and at times I’m certain that some of the vocals owe a little to the Gothic movement -- this is progressive and eclectic whilst managing to avoid any posturing, instead delivering a raw-yet-polished assault which skillfully blends melody and aggression.

Building on the success of their 2007 release Imperial Rape March, Two Evils is an 11 track album that continues their tradition of releasing solid chunks of blistering metal, eschewing the more usual EP format that so many bands choose to utilise -- these guys are clearly prolific songwriters and given the high standard of their material then maintaining the impetus of the music across 11 tracks goes a long way towards establishing their credentials as a band to be watched very closely indeed.

With so many influences to draw upon it’s very difficult to sum Revenant Dead up in a single sentence (which is what I suspect they set out to achieve!) as they swing from the early thrash/black metal styled opener of Atrophy, into the catchy Shallow Grave which manages to incorporate clean and growled vocals, NOWBHM riffs and catchy hooks. In fact one of the real strengths of Two Evils is that it does have hooks, it grooves, it has memorable choruses and intelligent lyrics even while maintaining the velocity and strength of delivery you expect from a modern metal band.

One thing that took me by suprise was that given the imagery and influences of Revenant Dead I was expecting something different lyrically -- instead there are some very sombre and introspective verses here that bring the very best of the Sisters of Mercy to mind and create fantastic contrasts with the far heavier rhythm sections and epic keyboard parts -- but a thoughtful and perhaps even some would say old-fashioned approach to their craft works tremendously well for them.

Very clearly this is a band that puts songwriting and atmosphere before personal indulgences -- you won’t find protracted and out-of-place solos here…you will find riffs galore, textures incorporating sometimes disparate elements of so many other genres that it would be pointless for me to mention them. Revenant Dead are more than the sum of their influences and I find that listening to a band that places the emphasis on melody and creating songs to be a richly rewarding experience.

Rating: 4 / 5