Steve Dadaian is one of the next big names in the solo guitarist community. With the release of his brand-new sophomore album, Revenant City Friday, he has officially made that clear, putting on notice not only the guitarist community but the hard rock and metal community in whole. Released independently and spanning 10-songs, this record is a strong argument for the noted statement, as its singles, ‘Revenant City’ and ‘Garden of Stars’ have already shown. The songs in question are a snapshot of the diversity that Dadaian displays from the beginning to the end of the 54-minute record; Diversity that spans so many branches of hard rock and metal. Both singles reach into the prog-metal realm while also presenting listeners with its own unique identity. Dadaian goes in a completely different direction in ‘Nothing Left,’ the opener for the album’s second half. This song will be discussed shortly. ‘Nova Era,’ the album’s closer, branches off in its own direction, too, this time a softer direction than that in the album’s other offerings. ‘Tower of Waves,’ one of the entries featured in the album’s first half, branches off in a completely different direction from its counterparts noted here. When it is considered alongside those songs and that group alongside the rest of the album’s entries, the whole therein makes Revenant City one of this year’s top new independent albums and even hard rock and metal albums.
Revenant City, the brand-new sophomore album from up-and-coming guitar virtuoso Steve Dadaian, is a presentation that officially certifies him as one of the next big names in the guitarist community while also making itself an equally welcome addition to this year’s field of new independent albums. The musical diversity and talent that Dadaian puts on display throughout the album proves everything noted. The album’s singles have already shown the noted diversity. Another work that exhibits that diversity comes in the album’s second half in the form of ‘Nothing Left.’ Clocking in at just over five minutes, the song is the only entry in the album to feature both music and lyrics. Right from its outset to the heavier, crushing guitar riff and screams in the song’s second half, it lends itself easily to comparison to works from metalcore giant Killswitch Engage’s 2000 self-titled debut album. The wall of sound that Dadaian and his fellow musicians create here makes that comparison so simple. Having a digital copy of the album to review, it is impossible to know who the vocalist was on this album, but the singer’s vocal style is a nice balance of Jesse Leach and Howard Jones (both of whom have fronted KsE). What can be inferred from the lyrics sans lyrics sheet is that the song is yet another familiar discussion on a relationship that has soured, clearly. The whole of the song is its own unique work that helps establish the album’s foundation.
Strengthening that foundation somewhat more is the album’s finale, ‘Nova Era.’ As noted, this song boasts its own identity separate from its counterparts, including ‘Nothing Left.’ This nearly five-minute opus opens with a flowing piano line performed by Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater) before Dadaian joins in along with drummer Marco Minnemann to flesh out the song even more. The pairing of Rudess’ and Dadaian’s collective work shows influence of the emotional hair ballads of the 80s while also having a certain modern prog lean at the same time. The result of the group’s collective work is another unique work that is just as certain to keep listeners engaged and entertained as ‘Nothing Left’ and the album’s singles.
Changing things even more, earlier in the album is the nearly eight-minute composition, ‘Tower of Waves.’ Clocking in at seven minutes, 57 seconds, it is the album’s longest entry. In this song, Dadaian performs solo, putting his ability with flamenco styling on full display. What is interesting here is that he blends that distinct styling with a subtle modern rock lean with the whole being an even more stark change of sound and style. There is even a classical touch with what sounds like Dadaian taking a page from J.S. Bach’s famed ‘Toccata and Fugue in D Minor’ at one point. That obviously unique touch within the bigger song makes the composition in whole stand out even more and all the more engaging and entertaining. When this song is considered alongside the others examined here and that trio alongside the album’s singles and the rest of its entries, the entirety thereof makes Revenant City easily one of the best of this year’s independent albums and potentially one of the best of this year’s overall albums.
Revenant City, the brand-new sophomore album from Steve Dadaian, is a strong new offering from the independent guitarist. It is just as strong a jumping on point for new audiences as a continuation for his established audiences. That is proven through the record’s diverse, engaging and entertaining musical arrangements. The songs examined here make that just as clear as the album’s singles. When that group is considered alongside the remainder of the album’s entries, that entirety makes the album’s overall presentation a fully successful offering from Dadaian that is sure to appeal to plenty of audiences.
Revenant City is available now. More information on the album is available along with all of Steve Dadaian’s latest news at https://facebook.com/steveDadaianGuitar.
