Band:	Tad Morose
Album:	Revenant
Style:	Progressive power metal
Release date:	November 20, 2013
A review by:	R Lewis

01. Beneath A Veil Of Crying Souls
02. Follow
03. Babylon
04. Within A Dream
05. Ares
06. Absence Of Light
07. Death Embrace
08. Dance Of The Damned
09. Spirit World
10. Timeless Dreaming
11. Millenium Lie
12. Gypsy

Sometimes They Come Back.

Tad Morose is a US power metal band from Sweden (whoa?) that in the 90's had been making itself a name in the metal scene, thanks to the release of six solid, heavy pieces of music. Then, after the 2003 Modus Vivendi, the band completely disappeared. 2012 saw their comeback, with the announcement of the upcoming album, an almost completely renewed line-up and the signing with Despotz Records.

Revenant, though marking an obviously important event in the band history, doesn't show a complete revolution, regarding the sound. This brings to the fact that old fans will be more than satisfied with this new album, but at the same time shouldn't lead one to think Revenant as a sterile copy of the early releases. Rather, it should be considered as the wise and coherent follow-up to Modus Vivendi, like this 10-years hiatus had never happened.

Already from the very first notes of the opener "Beneath A Veil Of Crying Souls", the new singer Ronny Hemlin (ex-Steel Attack) shows what he is capable of: raw, soulful and varied, his voice guides the album through a darker and heavier path than the one the band used to follow in the years with the well-loved Urban Breed, which was characterized more by atmosphere at the expense of some of the incisiveness shown here.

Revenant is not the typical up-tempo power metal album, being slower but well cadenced and rhythmic. To distinguish it from the usual genre albums is also the lack of a true ballad and the skilful incorporation of the choruses into the songs' mood. Refrains, in fact, aren't detached from their surroundings, and at an absent-minded listen they could also sound somehow weak while, in reality, they stick subtly in the listener's mind, returning to the surface after hours or days from the last listen.

Riffing is, in one word, heavy. Founder Christer Andersson and newcomer Kenneth Jonsson already show feeling, delivering guitar work which is comparable to that which made Gus G's Firewind famous. The bass has some cool moments of predominance, which add a flavour of doom to the album, while Morén's drumming is fundamental to define the tempo of an effort like this where rhythm is fundamental.

If there was a blemish to be found in Revenant, it would be the lack of strong variations between one track and another. This surely gives the album consistency, but risks to let a bit of boredom infiltrate the listener in the long run.

In conclusion: if you want to conjugate your love for power metal and the claim of your masculinity, here's Tad Morose for you.