REVOCATION

Revocation Returns: Dave Davidson Brings Tech‑Death Fury and a Pulverizing New Album to Vancouver headbangers

It’s no small feat to keep raising the bar—album after album of sheer brutality—but that’s exactly what Dave Davidson, lead singer, and guitarist delivers. Not only does he craft technically ferocious, razor‑sharp solos, he tears through them live while handling vocals at the same time. Tonight, Vancouver’s Rickshaw Theatre gets the full force once again as Revocation storms the stage, backed by a crushing lineup of support from Judiciary, Inferi, and Vomit Forth.

This past September, Revocation unleashed their latest head‑crusher, New Gods, New Masters, on Metal Blade Records—marking the ninth full‑length in a discography that’s been growing heavier and more ambitious since the band’s formation in 2002. Since their last Vancouver appearance at the Modified Ghost Festival in May 2022, the lineup has seen some changes: Harry Lannon has stepped in on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, while Alex Weber now holds down bass and backing vocals. Holding steady are Vancouver’s own Ash Pearson on drums and, at the helm as always and forever, founding force Dave Davidson on guitars and lead vocals.

They kicked things off with “Cronenberged” from the new album—a total rager that instantly sent the crowd into full chaos mode. Dave’s vocals were razor‑sharp, and the rest of the band came out sounding tight and professional right from the first note. The assault didn’t let up as they launched into another fresh cut, “Sarcophagi of the Soul”. The technical leads were jaw‑dropping, and watching Dave rip through them while delivering vocals at the same time was nothing short of mind‑bending—a feat few musicians could ever pull off.

The last time I caught these guys was back in 2018, when they ripped through the entire Outer Limits album—though what really stuck with me was the wild, over‑the‑top light show that came with it. Tonight’s performance dialed things back a notch; no laser‑driven spectacle this time, just a more stripped‑down, straightforward setup compared to that earlier show.

Other standout moments from the set included “Existence is Futile”, “Only the Spineless Survive”, “Bound by Desire”, “The Outer Ones”, and the closer, “Witch Trials”. They also dropped an instrumental from the new record, “The All Seeing”, which put Davidson’s guitar wizardry front and center while giving the rest of the band room to flex their chops. Another highlight was “Dystopian Vermin”—a personal favorite off New Gods, New Masters. In total, four tracks from the new album made the cut.

This was a rock‑solid show from start to finish. Dave brought along a stacked lineup of younger bands who set the stage perfectly for Revocation’s onslaught. The new album is pure top‑tier metal, and honestly, this band still doesn’t get the respect they deserve compared to many of their peers. The 12‑song set was slick, polished, and devastatingly tight. If this tour rolls through your city, don’t miss it—and crank the new album, because it’s an absolute banger.