Revocation: David Davidson Interview

The other day I was able to catch up with David Davidson, frontman of American tech-death metallers Revocation. We spoke about the upcoming album, Summer Slaughter and a few other things – have a read of our chat below!

All About The Rock: Hey David, thanks for taking the time to chat today! I hope everyone is well in the Revocation camp?

David: Everything is going great, thanks for asking!

AATR: Last November saw the re-release of your stunning debut, Empire of the Obscene. What was your thinking behind re-releasing the album, and what was the response like?

David: We never got the chance to properly release it worldwide though a label so it was always something that we wanted to do, just had to wait for the right time. The response has been excellent so far! We had Pete Rutcho remix and remaster the whole record and we even included the Summon The Spawn demo as a bonus for our fans.

AATR: 2015 also saw you sadly parting ways with founding drummer, Phil Dubois-Coyne. How did the split come about, and how was it for you continuing without him?

David: Phil wanted to pursue other projects and ended up moving down to Richmond to start a band with some guys down there. these things happen but we all wish him the best with his future projects. When we parted we ways we knew that Ash was our #1 choice to fill his shoes and it just so happened that his main band 3 Inches Of Blood was breaking up so everything just kind of worked out.

AATR: And how has Ash Pearson been fitting in with the band?

David: Ash has been an amazing fit for the band. He loves to tour and travel which is huge for us because we hit the road hard especially when a new album comes out. He’s also a great fit personality wise as well, he fits in with our style of humor and is just a really pleasant guy to be around. It goes without saying that he’s a monster drummer too, he really laid down some amazing parts for the new record that showcased many different sides of his style.

AATR: 2014 saw you sign to Metal Blade – how has it been for you, working with such a respected label?

David: It’s been working out really well for us, Deathless was our biggest album to date so we’re looking forward to seeing how Metal Blade promotes the new record. They’ve got a great worldwide presence which is awesome for us because we love touring around the globe so their European distribution definitely  helps us widen our reach.

AATR: I’ve only heard the two singles from the new album, but what I’ve heard sounds awesome! Musically speaking, what influenced you in the writing of Great Is Our Sin?

David: Death, thrash, black metal, I really love the underground extreme music scene and love seeking out new bands to check out for inspiration. I’ve also been working on jazz more in my practice time so I think some of that influence has crept into my phrasing here and there on the record.

AATR: And what lyrical concepts have you explored on this release?

David: The lyrical theme is the folly of man throughout the ages. Some songs discuss topics from the 16th century such as public executions in medieval times or the persecution of Copernicus by the church for his heliocentric concept of the solar system. Other topics deal with print day issues such as greed and corruption in politics or the crumbling infrastructure of the U.S.

AATR: We’re a little over a month away from the release – are you excited to get this album out for everyone to hear?

David: Yeah, I’m really counting down the days. Every couple of weeks we release a new track as a bit of a teaser but I really can’t wait for everyone to check out the whole thing once it’s released.

AATR: Are there any concepts or influences, both musically and lyrically, you want to explore further in future releases?

David: I’ve got a bunch of ideas for lyrical concepts and also have some new riffs but at this moment it’s too early to comment on what the next release will be like. I’m just trying to focus on the material from the new record for the next few months at least.

AATR: How do you feel Revocation has progressed over the last decade?

David: I think we’ve grown a lot over the years. We’ve definitely gotten better as songwriters and I think we’ve really honed in on the aesthetic of our sound. I’ve learned to edit and arrange my ideas more thoughtfully as time has progressed as well. I try to really think about the song as a whole now so if a riff doesn’t fit with the overall vibe I’ll end getting rid of it even if I like it.

AATR: Revocation are often referred to as a technical death metal band – what other tech-death bands are you enjoying at the moment?

David: Currently I’ve been jamming the new Obscura, Gorguts, Wormed, and Abhorrent records just to name a few.

AATR: You are billed on the prestigious Summer Slaughter tour, which kicks off one day after Great Is Our Sin is released – are you looking forward to it, and what other bands on the bill are you excited to see live?

David: I’m super stoked to be a part of that tour this Summer! Really looking forward to seeing Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Nile and Krisiun since I grew up listening to all those bands in high school.

AATR: Are there any plans in the works to bring your Great Is Our Sin tour to Europe, or even the UK soon?

David: Yes indeed! We’ll be hitting the road with Obscura, Beyond Creation and Rivers Of Nihil this fall!

AATR: What moments do you hold as career highlights so far?

David: One moment that sticks out in recent memory is a festival that we played back in the fall. It was one of the last gigs on the Deathless tour cycle splaying an open air fest in front of about 14,000 people was a nice way to cap things off.

AATR: Finally, are there any metal bands in the underground you are really enjoying at the moment?

David: I really like this band named Aktor they’re doing more of a traditional heavy metal/hard rock approach and are really great at what they do. I’d definitely recommend checking out they’re latest record Paranoia.

AATR: Thank you for giving me a chance to chat, much appreciated! Take care!

David: Thanks for the interview!