| Musical Style: Metal/Hard Rock | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Soundmass | Country Of Origin: Australia |
| Year Released: 1993 / 2018 | Artist Website: |
| Tracks: 5 | Rating: 75% |
| Running Time: |
There is more to South Australia based Covenant and its 1993 five song demo EP Fall Of Rome than meets the eye. Venture beneath the surface and you will find as part of its lineup current Sonic Divide vocalist Wayne Holden in addition to bassist Graham Billing, whom appeared on the Virgin Black demo and went on to engineer, record and tour extensively with the group as part of its highly regarded Requiem Trilogy. So which side of the musical fence - the AOR-ish tint to Sonic Divine or Gothic lacings of Virgin Black - does Covenant reside? Repeat listen to the fall of 2018 Soundmass Records re-issue to Fall Of Rome reveals the former in terms of how Covenant bases itself around a late eighties to early nineties melodic heavy metal meets hard rock sound. Whereas the points of reference in the groups press material are spot on, including Neon Cross, Riot, Armageddon, Hero and Malachia, I would also mention the artsy progressiveness to Xalt, least in terms of its acclaimed 1988 custom cassette release Dark War.
You cannot go wrong with opening cut “Killing Time”, an upbeat and uplifting five minutes that would not sound out of place on any melodic hard rock album to have come out during the groups early nineties time. Immediately recognizable are Holden’s pristine vocal abilities, which align with light vestiges of vocal harmonies to help elevate the noticeable melody at hand. Lyrics are every bit inspiring as the music:
In my hour of madness
God has heard my cry
I close my ears in silence
Unrelenting pressure needs undeserving grace
And the fool blames God for his mistakes
Emptiness constraints me
The place where I belong
Where God gives hope
When all hope is gone
When my hope is gone
We’ve got to stop this killing time
Suicide is not the answer
Some of that outside the box progressiveness rears on seven-minute ballad “Bleeding On The Inside”. The song takes an acoustic and keyboard stance from the start, with rhythm guitars playing a forward role a minute in, albeit giving way to periodic reappearances of calmer acoustic guitar. One of the EP’s more solid melodies helps “Bleeding On The Inside” not wear out its welcome despite the length. This one deals with the inner conflicts associated with broken relationships:
All she sees is what you’ve done
You’re broken hearted
And she’s scattered the pieces
All the kings horses and all the kings men
They couldn’t put you together again
Like a landslide you hit the floor
Seeing all the wrong you’ve done before
In your sorrow you confess your heart
Christ has given you a brand new start
Speaking of outside the box, album takes a left hand turn for its instrumental title track. “Fall Of Rome” begins to a medieval joining of flute and acoustic guitar, which soon give way to a heavier rocking focus as darker choral vocals decorate the backend. Stylish lead guitar, attributing to Mark Czora, takes over before things close in pensive fashion over the final minute.
Fall Of Rome returns to melodic metal territory with “Same Tomorrow”. Reaching for the mid-tempo, it proves a harmony driven monster as precise guitars and secure vocal melodies carry over a low end filled out by ample bass. Another standout quality is the Spanish guitar solo that helps carry things instrumentally. Lyrics focus on the trappings of addiction:
As time goes by in disarray
That bottle that you’re holding
Is gonna blow you away
A cheap sensation
In a life full of sorrow
When you bring it all together
You’re just the same tomorrow
Do you realize
Tomorrow you will be just the same
And you have no one but your own self to blame
Will they understand?
“Somebody Out There” closes things in high-energy fashion. What we have is as focused a four and a half minutes as you will find, yielding an aggressive form that touches upon traditional metal with its hard charging rhythm section and staunch guitars as Holden reveals the expansive range to his voice. Things culminate for a bristling lead guitar stretch. Bloodgood comes to mind on a song that reflects upon a heart that is searching:
When I hear that sound I start to bleed
Wedding bells can pierce your soul
Another friend has left my life
A lover slips my hold
Crisis seems to follow crisis
There must be something better
Something I can’t see
And still the question on my mind
Have I some yet to find?
Is there somebody out there?
Anybody out there
Someone who will hear my cry
Dry away my sullen eyes
Is there somebody out there?
Tell me who you are
As far as EP’s go, Fall Of Rome proves consistent in revealing five solid albeit varying songs I find to hold up under repeat play. Of course, the typical concerns regarding EP releases comes to fruition in that I would like to hear an extra song or two, particularly when factoring songwriting quality and the bands aptitudes in the areas of vocals and musicianship. Production is also a bit murky, but it is also fair to offer some latitude in light of the early nineties period in which the project was recorded. That, however, is beyond the point in that I am grateful Soundmass unearthed what amounts a long lost gem that, to be completely frank I have heard of previous, and has made it available on CD for the first time.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Killing Time” (5:05), “Bleeding On The Inside” (7:19), “Fall Of Rome” (2:49), “Same Tomorrow” (4:47), “Somebody Out There” (4:41)
Musicians
Wayne Holden - Lead Vocals
Mark Czora - Guitars
Graham Billing - Bass
Chris Yeend - Drums & Keyboards
Additional Musicians
Ruth Wanless - Flute
