METALLIAN - Revelation

Salvation's Answer - 1991 - Rise Above
Never Comes Silence - 1992 - Hellhound
...Yet So Far - 1995 - Hellhound
Release - 2008 - Leaf Hound
Revelation - 2009 - The Church Within
For The Sake Of No One - 2009 - Shadow Kingdom
Inner Harbor - 2012 - Bland Hand

Members

Vocals

John Brenner>>Against Nature, Whetstone, Mole Hill, Holabird - Doomstone, Bläcklord, OverSoul, Cor, Palace Of Skulls, Darkoffigus>>Dennis Cornelius>>Doomstone, Bläcklord, OverSoul, Cor, Palace Of Skulls, Darkoffigus, Dwell Within, Memory Driven, Under The Sun - Against Nature>>JOHN BRENNER>>Against Nature, Whetstone, Mole Hill, Holabird

Guitar

Have Mercy>>John Brenner>>Chowder, Against Nature, Whetstone, Mole Hill, Holabird - Morticious, Doomstone, OverSoul, Cor, Palace Of Skulls, Darkoffigus>>Dennis Cornelius>>Doomstone, OverSoul, Cor, Palace Of Skulls, Darkoffigus, Dwell Within, Memory Driven - Have Mercy, Against Nature, Chowder>>JOHN BRENNER>>Chowder, Against Nature, Whetstone, Mole Hill, Holabird

Bass

Bert Hall, Jr.>>Against Nature, Negro Childe, Mangog - Chowder, Spectre>>Josh Hart>>Chowder, Spectre, Unorthodox, Earthride - October 31, Bläcklord, Springheel Jack, While Heaven Wept, Twisted Tower Dire>>Jim Hunter>>October 31, Bläcklord, While Heaven Wept, Twisted Tower Dire, Lord Vicar, Final Sign, Walpyrgus - Against Nature, Negro Childe>>BERT HALL, Jr.>>Against Nature, Negro Childe, Mangog, Beelzefuzz, Righteous Bloom

Drum

Against Nature>>STEVE BRANAGAN>>Against Nature, Daydreams With Nightmares, Mangog, Holabird

History & Biography

Revelation was one of the many doom metal bands centred around the state of Maryland in the USA. Others included Iron Man, Internal Void, Unorthodox and Wretched. The group was more upbeat at the beginning however.

The band was founded as Panic in 1985 and changed its monicker to the Christian-infleunced Revelation in May 1986 after coming across the Trouble song Revelation (Life Or Death) from that band’s self-titled 1984 album. The founders were John Brenner and drummer Steve Branagan. Andy Kremer was the early bassist. A series of 1987 demos were called Face Reality, Terminal Destiny and Images Of Darkness. The band’s debut album was recorded in 1988, but never materialized because the band was unhappy with the sound. It would be issued twenty years later. The Illusion Of Progress was a 1989 demo.

Rise Above Records signed the band, after including the band on the Dark Passages sampler, and the debut record was issued. The band was composed of singer and guitarist John Brenner, bassist Bert Hall, Jr. and drummer Steve Branagan. The second record was issued through another doom metal specialist label. Josh Hart was on bass. The group's new line-up taped a demo called Mourning Son, yet remained on Hellhound for its third record. Jim Hunter was on bass and Dennis Cornelius had taken over for Brenner even though he had joined on second guitar at first. The group had European tours with Saint Vitus in March and Solitude Aeturnus in May of 1995. It was back to demo land and a tape called Frozen Masque next.

The band became inactive and without a deal at this stage. The act did get together for the first Stoner Hands Of Doom Festival in August of 1999 however. Again, the band got together for the Doom Shall Rise festival in Germany in 2002. The band also toured with Mirror Of Deception and Reverend Bizarre, the former having a hand in the aforementioned festival. The members regrouped in a new and prolific outfit called Against Nature in 2004. Jim Hunter was back for a while however. This band was prolific on Brenner’s Bland Hand Records imprint and would stop its activities only in tandem with the demise of Revelation. Hellhound had gone the way of hair on Donald Trump’s head. Members old and new convened to appear on stage at Doom or Be Doomed festival in Maryland in 2007. Of course, the usual compilation kept appearing, but new material arrived in 2008 only. The band was Steve Branagan, as well as a returning John Brenner and Bert Hall, Jr.. The group released its unreleased debut at this stage. The band was booked for the Dutch Doom Days festival in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Revelation was also booked to play at the Montreal Is Doomed festival on December 4th 2010 in Montreal, Canada in 2010.

Inner Harbor depicted that and featured an aerial view of the city of Baltimore on its cover. Pending the reformation it became the band’s final record. Members went on to fly with Holabird although it was claimed that Revelation’s dissolution was because one member was tired of performing.

Reviews

REVELATION - NEVER COMES SILENCE - SHADOW KINGDOM
Revelation is one of those doom metal bands that unusually merely grazed the periphery of my metal consciousness, but never became a listening item at Metallian Towers. Now courtesy of the resuscitating Shadow Kingdom Records Revelation’s record is on CD and out with bonus material like a live show and biographical material.
Revelation’s problem is that doom has much better in its midst. Candlemass, Solitude Aeternus, Saint Vitus (which the band is most like in this list) and Paramaecium are all better bands. This 1992 record suffers from a lacklustre and tired singer who exudes little energy and is lax in his delivery. The guitarist can play and rip should he choose to, but rarely does. His solo on Spectre is a rare instance of excitement. Wounds Which Never Heal right after goes back to the band’s staid approach. The looooooong album closer Never Comes Silence (so they do have clever titles!) begins with an acoustic strum straight out of a Rush 1980 composition, but soon reverts to below average doom.
Revelation disappoints with its lack of power or excitement and in a sub-genre predicated on feelings it is a below standard record. - Ali “The Metallian”

REVELATION - FOR THE SAKE OF NO ONE - SHADOW KINGDOM
Saint Vitus Was A Young Lad
No One Knows How Old
If He’d Known The Shite He Influenced
He Would Have Killed Himself Cold. - Ali “The Metallian”

REVELATION - ...YET SO FAR - SHADOW KINGDOM
This must be Revelation’s best record; not because it is anything special, but because the band has a couple of powerful and emotive riffs, a little heaviness, two enjoyable passages and, likely, that Dennis Cornelius, unlike his predecessor, does not drive everything to crap. There are moments of heaviness and interest on this album now re-issued by Shadow Kingdom.
A better sound and a photograph of what looks like is the ruins of a Scottish castle on a moor also do not hurt. - Ali “The Metallian”

Interviews

Revelation