album: The Emptiness of Gravity
artist: Revisionist
genre: metal
release date: May 21, 2021
star rating: four out of five

review by Levi Yager

The Wichita hardcore scene is in for one hell of a summer, with Revisionist packing some major heat in their latest EP. It’s apparent with this release that the band has really begun to hit their stride. They still show their signature devotion to crazy breakdowns, but this time around, they’re much more conscious of purpose and placement. Overall, The Emptiness of Gravity is a huge step forward for the band and a rewarding listen for fans.

Revisionist knows how to make an impression from the very first track. “Violence Golden” starts as a mood piece with some buzzing and knocking sounds before drums and guitars add in. This is soon followed by screamed vocals for an incendiary introduction. After that, there’s no looking back. The song delivers punishing riffs and reeling strums that propel it to its conclusion.

Next is hands-down the best track on the EP, “Half Moon.” A Swiss Army knife of a metal song, it djents, it flows, it pushes, it pulls. The intro is a tweaked-out blur that drops into the gnarliest bass guitar tones as the song opens out. The structure and pacing of “Half Moon” are brilliant; it has great usage of space and tension. And there’s even the first instance of clean vocals found in the slower chorus section. If you only have time to check out one of these tracks today, make it this one.

My second favorite track would have to be number four, titled “Panic Burn.” It starts with just distant gang vocals and dampened percussion, which return later as a fully formed chorus. The song spends its duration flip-flopping between the extremes of brutally destructive verses and a melodic chorus – until tearing it all down in the finale.

“Night Chills” is the last song on The Emptiness of Gravity. Its ethereal first third includes digitized spoken word in the background, and then Revisionist has the balls to start a bumpin’ groove before driving the song right off a cliff. “Night Chills” culminates in fevered screaming, cranked-up guitars and heavy drums. It’s a solid ending to a great EP.

The Emptiness of Gravity wastes no time; it’s a terse expression of electrified emotion that burns fast and loud. Throughout its 20-some-minute lifespan, Revisionist brings dialed-in drumming, finger-slicing guitar playing and screams with rabid ferocity. Also, incorporating cleans here and there adds an interesting, new dimension to their sound that I think really works. Now, I’m just psyched to see what these songs are like in a live setting. It’s a brand-new scene, y’all.