ANCESTRY — Revelations (review)

Album · 2011 · Power Metal

3.5/5 · 2019-12-08
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Formed in 2007 in Chihuahua, Mexico, ANCESTRY, founded by guitarist Luiz Monge would go through several lineup change before getting to the point where the band could craft enough material to release this 2011 debut REVOLUTIONS. Despite the turbulent origins, much of the material of this first offering was written in 2008 when ANCESTRY was performing live gigs with more international bands like Rata Blanca from Argentina.

The recording of this album took place in Mexico City throughout 2009 but due to the fact that the original vocalist, Lobo departed at the same time which left the band without a vocalist for about a year before Alex Gavilán would join on as the new vocalist. The entire fiasco caused a two year delay but REVELATIONS finally made its debut in March 2011.

Despite the claims on the band’s CD Baby page that his album is NOT a typical power metal album, in reality it really is. ANCESTRY takes the route of imitating its idols which in this case varies from the lightning fast metal of Angra and Dragonforce to the symphonic metal leanings of Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius and Helloween. The music is dynamic, melodic and showcases the extremities of Gavilán’s vocal range as well as the neoclassical shredding typical of power metal.

By this time the band settled into a sextet with the lineup of Alex Gavilán (vocals), César Castillo (bass), Eduardo Cuadros (guitars), Luiz Monge (guitars), Alan García (keyboards) and Edgar Salais (drums). Despite emerging from the northern region of Mexico where Tex-Mex traditional music reigns supreme, ANCESTRY displays no allegiance to its culture and instead completely crafts a musical specimen forged from the cauldrons of the European scenes.

In many ways, REVELATIONS is very much like a tribute album to the influences that inspired Monge to venture into the energetically delivered world of power metal. Guitar and keyboard workouts in tandem can remind of bands like Arch Enemy, Children of Bodom, Dream Theater and Symphony X and with music like this, it is imperative that the vocalist has the chops to bring the music to the higher levels and in that regard Gavilán delivers with ease. The musicianship is of the highest caliber which is what makes power metal so dynamic.

Perhaps my biggest gripe about REVELATIONS is that it never strays from hero worship and is too safe in keeping the music as closely associated with its influences without adding any sense of creative input into the ten tracks that include three instrumentals. You can expect t all the proper power metal boxes checked off, namely rampaging speed, symphonic contrasts all dressed up in epic performances with the usual fantastical adventures through storytelling.

Technical wizardry is the name of the game and ANCESTRY doesn’t disappoint in the harmonic tempos that culminate into sizzling guitar solos or the famous double bass drumming patterns that deliver vast quantities of sixteenth note frenzies. It’s hard to say anything bad about REVELATIONS as it’s a stellar power metal release other than it plays things too safe and finds ancestry trying to show they can play in the big boys’ club instead of crafting original music that stands out from the legions of imitators. In the end, a satisfying power metal album but not the most memorable one.