Revelations of the Unsung

For a while during the early '90s, it was frowned upon to be proficient at your instrument in the rock world. Ten years later, it appeared as though the complete opposite was true -- it was frowned upon to not be able to reel off technically precise riffs and endure tricky song structures, as evidenced by Florida's Autumn Offering. The group's debut full-length, Revelations of the Unsung, was originally released in 2004 via the small Stillborn label, before being reissued two years later via Victory. Produced by renowned metal studio vet Zeuss (who has worked with Shadows Fall, Agnostic Front, etc.) and Hatebreed singer/Headbanger's Ball host Jamey Jasta, Revelations is chock-full of screamed vocals, precise drumming, and heavy guitar riffing. The dual-guitar team of Matt Johnson and George Moore is really the most valuable asset here -- these two players have no problem alternating between Pantera-worthy riffs ("The Great Escape") and Iron Maiden's more tranquil moments (the breakdown of "Calm After the Storm" is reminiscent of "Revelations" off Piece of Mind). But apart from a sedate intro to the track "Shadows of Betrayal," Autumn Offering stick close to the head-on hardcore-meets-metal game plan from front to back.