Revengin – Dark Dogma Embrace

Revengin
Dark Dogma Embrace
Label: Wormholedeath
Out: April 11^th, 2024
Playing time: 41:39

The Symphonic Metal band Revengin from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) was founded back in 2008. Only singer Bruna Rocha and guitarist Thiago Contrera remain from that time. In the first few years, the EP ‘Synergy Through The Ashes’ (2009) and the album ‘Cymatics’ (2012) were released. After that, the band made itself rare in terms of releases. Between 2018 and 2020, the band apparently also took a hiatus. Only after the reunion was another EP (‘Inner Dark’, 2020) released. Five singles followed until 2025, before the album ‘Dark Dogma Embrace’ was completed in April. Let’s hear how the comeback turned out.

Atypical for this genre, there is no intro on ‘Dark Dogma Embrace’. Instead, the album kicks off with the first song ‘Circle Of Mistakes’. Right at the beginning, the guitars roar and Thiago Contrera belts out his growls. And although singer Bruna Rocha sings soprano, she is fortunately not in opera mode most of the time. Discreet strings add an epic flavour. But the heavy sounds clearly dominate. Clean guitars and synths introduce ‘Decadent Feeling’. The song is a little quieter and Bruna manages to enchant with her vocals. Thiago’s growls are just as calm and restrained. Towards the end, the song is crowned by a very melodic guitar solo. In ‘Wish You The Same But Worse’ you can hear a little more bombast at the beginning. Epic choruses are accompanied by synths. This is also more of a quiet song in which the singer can demonstrate her vocal range. Synth tapestries, hard riffs and powerful drums dominate. Deep bass sounds make the air almost vibrate at the beginning of ‘Hall Of Mirrors’. Later, a powerful orchestration accompanies the vocals and the heaviness of the rhythm section. The interplay of “Beauty and the Beast” can be heard, but not as a dominating element in the sound. In ‘Huntress Of Shadows’, guitars and drums gallop ahead. The orchestration and vocals are similarly fast, but not hectic. This is more true of the double bass attacks. Thiago Contrera’s voice is technically alienated. Industrial sounds briefly introduce ‘No Saint In Glory’. Then Bruna’s seductive vocals are heard again. While the rhythm section provides a powerful backdrop. ‘Caught In Dark’ also starts briefly with synths, which later fade into a keyboard tapestry. Bruna sings in a pleasantly dark voice. The bass and drums boom along with it. In “Rising Sun”, the singer mostly retains her darker timbre. Epic choruses and orchestral passages provide plenty of bombast. The growls can also be heard again. Once again, the guitars gallop and the drums whip ahead on ‘Sublime Awakening’. Now we can enjoy Bruna Rocha’s clear soprano again. Once again, there are extensive keyboard passages. The crowning finale ‘Deep Within’ is an epic and, apart from a few bombastic chorus vocals, instrumental song. So it’s not an intro on the album, but an outro.

Revengin are back in the Symphonic Metal scene with a bang. ‘Dark Dogma Embrace’ is an extremely impressive comeback album from the Brazilians. There is plenty of bombast with orchestral passages and epic choruses. And rarely have I heard a Symphonic Metal album with such a heavy sound. But the real gem is singer Bruna Rocha. Her vocal range is extraordinary. Of course, the growls are not missing either. These are used with restraint by guitarist and singer Thiago Contrera. A sound experience for friends of Symphonic Metal as well as for die-hard Metal fans.

Revengin – Wish You The Same But Worse: https://youtu.be/Y530yuhV5BM?si=NEIziVLzliBPY6_c

Lineup:

Bruna Rocha – Vocals
Thiago Contrera – Guitar, Gutturals
Themys Barros – Guitar
Diego Pirozzi – Bass
Nacife jr – Drums

Track list:

• Circle Of Mistakes
• Decadent Feeling
• Wish You the Same But Worse
• Hall Of Mirrors
• Huntress Of Shadows
• No Saints In Glory
• Caugh In Dark
• Rising Sun
• Sublime Awakening
• Deep Within