Revel in Flesh

Featuring former members of Immortal Rites, Dawn of Dreams and Apophis, Germany's Revel in Flesh are dedicated to traditional, early '90s, Swedish-style death metal. Manifested Darkness is the band's full-length follow-up to their 2012 debut, Deathevokation, and it picks up exactly where they left off. Containing brutal blasts and thick, dark bass tones, as well as raw, Entombed- and Dismember-esque, groove-based riffs, Manifested Darkness adheres to the standard rules of classic, old school Scandinavian death metal, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Revel in Flesh pull off the iconic style with exceptional musicianship and a variety of song patterns and time signatures. Tracks like opener "Revel in Flesh" and "Manifested Darkness" maintain the perfect balance between fast, heavy, obliterating rhythms and symphonic melodies, which is particularly reminiscent of the by-the-book Swedish style. Much deeper guttural growls and the use of piano on "Rotting in the Void" add a sense of distinctiveness, intensifying the album's overall dark, ominous atmosphere.