Revertigo – Revertigo (2018) [Qobuz FLAC 24bit/44,1kHz]

ReVertigo is a Stockholm, Sweden based duo featuring Mats Levén (vocals) and Anders Wikström (guitar). As close personal and musical friends for nearly 30 years, ReVertigo is the next chapter in an ongoing collaboration between the two. Between touring activities with Candlemass, Treat, and Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the pair finalized the 11 songs featured on the debut album. All the instruments on the album are played by Mats and Anders, except for the drums, which were performed by their dear friend Thomas Broman (Great King Rat, Michael Schenker Group, Electric Boys). ReVertigo’s music itself is a blend of heavy, yet melodic songs paying tribute to their favorite albums and artists from the ’70s, ’80s, and up to present day filtered through the chemistry that comes to life when Mats and Anders join forces.

Busy careers have prevented an earlier collaboration between singer Mats Levén (Krux, Candlemass, Swedish Erotica and many other bands and projects) and Treat guitarist Anders Wikström. Being friends for close to three decades the duo just never found the time to sit down, write some tracks and record them. Now they have finally done so under the banner ReVertigo, just using drummer Thomas Broman (Great King Rat/Electric Boys) and doing the rest of the instruments plus the production all by themselves. I have always liked the voice of Mats Levén, a man that has many ‘vocal’ faces, being capable of singing heavy doom metal just as easy as tackling melodic heavy rock plus everything in between. A guy with versatility so to speak with a big reach as one of his main weapons. Both Anders and Mats are extremely experienced, have been around the block a few times and the start is with the energetic tracks ,,Hoodwinked’’ and ,,Sailing Stones’’ as I had expected. Hard rocking melodic rockers with classic eighties rock trademarks such as strong hooks and power vocals. But as the CD progresses a slight disappointing feeling takes over the mood. The songs are not as strong as I had expected, they are quite mediocre to be honest, sometimes even a bit weak. The CD does flair up every now and then (,,The Cause’’ is a good bouncy rocker) and Levén is still a great singer, but the direction the duo has chosen on this CD does not completely work. You might have expected a CD that would be a cross between the more melodic material of Treat and the heaviness of Krux, Swedish Erotica or even Candlemass, but that is not the case. Take ,,Unobtainium’’ for instance, a ballad without any sort of power or instrumental climax, a boring happening that makes you ask yourself what Mats and Anders are trying to achieve with this. No gents, some tracks are really nice but the overall picture is not too positive I’m afraid. – Review by by Michel van de Moosdijk

Tracklist:
01 – Hoodwinked
02 – Sailing Stones
03 – Symphony Of Fallen Angels
04 – The Cause
05 – Gate Of The Gods
06 – False Flag
07 – Unobtainium
08 – Luciferian Break Up
09 – Joan Of Arc
10 – Break Away
11 – In Revertigo

Produced by Anders Wikström/Mats Levén.
Recorded by Peter Mansson/Anders Wikström/Mats Levén at Silverchord Studio/Uzi G Studio/Mir Studios.
Mixed by Peter Mansson at Mir Studios. Mastered by Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers OY.

Musicians:
Mats Levén – Lead vocals, Guitars, Keyboards
Anders Wikström – Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Backing vocals
Thomas Broman – Drums

Download:

mqs.link_RevertigRevertig2018Qbuz24441.rar