Band: Evocation
Title: Apocalyptic
Label: Cyclone Empire
Distribution: Sure Shot Worx
Release date: October 29th 2010
Review: CD

The origins of Swedish band Evocation go back to 1991. A few friends from the city of Borås wanted to play their own interpretation of what Sweden was a leading country of back then: massive Death Metal. They were able to record a first demo tape in 1992 with nobody less but Tomas Skogsberg, one of the most important producers from Sweden around that period, and not much later a second demo was available. At that time, the members were involved with some other projects and bands too (like Cemetary and Lake Of Tears) and due to musical differences, Evocation split up in 1993.
At the beginning of this century, plans were made to reform the band, yet it took another couple of years before this became reality. A first step was the release, through Breath Of Night, of both demos on LP and CD (this compilation was simply called Evocation), and in Summer 2005 the band started rehearsing again. A new demo drew attention of German label Cyclone Empire and soon a first studio album followed, Tales From The Tomb (2007). Without any doubt, it was one of the strongest Death Metal releases that very same year (personal opinion). A year and a half after this first official album (the compilation not included), a second full length was released (November 2008), called Dead Calm Chaos (review posted on 23/11/2008). The album went on in the vein of the debut, yet with some more intimacy and tranquillity. Internationally, Dead Calm Chaos was even better accepted than the former one, and a few important magazines selected this album as ‘album of the year’ (like Sweden’s Close-Up or Germany’s Legacy Mag). A successful European tour followed (with bands as Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus etc), as well as several festivals (Summer Breeze, Party.San, Rock Hard and so on).
Early 2010. The band enters their home studio for the self-production of the third studio full length – except for the drums, which were produced by Roberto Laghi, known from his work with Hardcore Superstar, Sonic Syndicate, Thorn.Eleven, Transport League and In Flames. It comes with wonderful artwork, done by Polish artist Xaay (think Vader, Lifeless, Behemoth, Nile) and lasts for about forty minutes.
Both former albums did differ, not that much all right, yet enough to notice, and this time, well, you can hear the same band again, yet with another approach de nouveau too. Apocalyptic brings very epic and melodic Death Metal in a (general) Swedish vein, combining technical skills with professional song writing. The album varies a lot in tempo and structure and it includes lots of melodic additions. Besides, the whole comes with a slightly blackened atmosphere, bringing oppressive grimness and Nordic coldness. And what about the production: colossal, massive, gargantuan! Prehistorically monolithic!
For fans of Amon Amarth, Unleashed, Grave, Lifeless (note: review on the new album posted on December 8th), early Entombed, Dismember or This Ending.

90/100

Ivan Tibos.