| Musical Style: Heavy Metal | Produced By: Bill Menchen |
| Record Label: Watergrave / Retroactive | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2007 / 2025 | Artist Website: |
| Tracks: 20 /20 | Rating: 80% / 80% |
| Running Time: 60:05 / 60:49 |
The Heavy Laden: Volume I and Volume II releases from the Rev Seven project of guitarist and vocalist Bill Menchen might not be all new but receive significant upgrades in form of improved re-mastering and packaging with the October of 2025 Retroactive Records reissues. ‘Heavy Laden’ represents a compiling of the 40 songs appearing on the four nineties era Rev Seven albums, with Volume I including those from The Unveiling (1991) & Hell And Back (1994) and Volume II encompassing tracks off Seven Years Of Good Luck (1998) & 747 (1999). Note that the songs on ‘Heavy Laden’ are not the originals from the four albums but re-recorded versions (with Menchen handling vocals and all instrumentation) as appearing on the initial Watergrave Records (a division of Retroactive) releases in 2007. Two instrumentals from Seven Years Of Good Luck are the lone exceptions in this regard.
Rev Seven traverses doom influenced traditional metal territory accented by Menchen’s signature Ozzy tinged lead vocals. If a fan of other projects from the artist such as Titanic, Final Axe, Redeemer and The Seventh Power I see Rev Seven being of interest. Likewise, those into Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Pentragram and Place Of Skulls should also find a lot to like in Rev Seven. Lyrics are open and upfront in reflecting Menchen’s faith.
Whereas the initial Watergrave releases feature barebones packaging with two sided inserts and plain cover art, the Retroactive reissues take things to the next level with multi-page mini booklets (noting the work of Scott Waters of No Life Til Metal Graphics) home to lyrics, band photos and detailed liner notes. Better conceived cover art is much more eye catching. Re-mastering (attributing to Rob Colwell of Bombworks Sound) applies a coat of refinement resulting in greater rhythm guitar definition, amended low end and brighter keyboard mix. Any murkiness to the original is bereft in the process.
Since the two ‘Heavy Laden’ volumes combine for 40 songs, I thought it best to forgo one of my standard track-by-track breakdowns in favor of breaking the review down by individual album instead. However, time and space limitations in the face of such a preponderance of material, prevents me from mentioning every song. Rather, I am going to focus instead on the high point of each volume in terms of choice compositions while briefly touching upon any constructive commentary.
First volume highlights its share of top-notch heavy metal meets doom-like numbers that prove Menchen’s specialty. Consider in such regard opening cuts “Kingdom Come” and “Power And Authorities”, a pair of catchy skewers innate to timely hooks, smarting riffs and artists flaming guitar leads. Of similar form are “Seven Thunders”, technically driven in intricately transitioning between speed based moments and others direfully bottom heavy, and “His Holiness”, worshipful doom metal in which opening church organ gives way to torpid riffing and voluminous low end. Two of my favorites include companion Saint like apocalyptic metal pieces “Babylon” with its draw you in at once bluesy metal guitar shuffling and “White Horse Man” from combining equal parts sublime melody and portent disposition.
Quality fails to diminish when Menchen steps outside the box. “Chains” traverses melodic metal with its commercial tinged refrain straight from the eighties - ‘chains, chains, chains, a feeling you known too well’ - and subtle keyboard arrangements. Straightforward hard rocker “Sabbath Breaker” also utilizes keyboards but in a seventies-tinged Hammond B3 sense, as does “Cast Down” in playing up classical keyboards for its instrumental run and closing seconds.
I also take to manner in which catchy proclivities define “Dead Right Now” (cool medieval style keyboard opening), “Father Of Lights” (high-energy rusher with blazing lead guitar) and “Fire” (equally speed based and shred driven). While finely executed and performed, lone complaint is that I find the three too abbreviated in the two and half minute range. I would like to have seen them given better opportunity to grow and build with another thirty seconds to a minute added to their length. Other shorts cuts such as “Over And Out” and “Tonite” are far from bad but lack the hook driven staying power to stay with me long term.
Volume I also includes a slew of tracks that while I do not skip in my opinion rate in the medium to good range in “Kiss The Son”, “Time Runs Out”, “The Hand Of God” and others. Problem is that each is of a mid-tempo form- perhaps if imbued with added variety in terms of pace and/or style I might rate them higher.
Final verdict: It can be problematic pinpointing a final score for a 20-song album, but I feel there are enough notable moments to warrant 80%.
An added keyboard basis infusing the Volume II material hints of the direction Menchen would take on his turn of the century The Seventh Power project. Backend keyboards lend an accessible element to doom metal monster “Machines” (noting its punchy subtleties) and melodic heavy metal cuts “Tell” (only song of the 40 in excess of four minutes) and “Desert” (a mirthful slugger). Likewise, “Born A Sinner” features classical keyboards to start prior to morphing into a doom-based ballad, while play on words song “Know Compromise” punctuates catchy guitar riffs with a bluesy guitar and keyboard instrumental trade off.
One of my favorites is “The King Of Rock And Roll” from reinforcing the anthem like and symphonic keyboards to speak of power metal and impress as one of artist’s finest song ever. I also take to “The Day He Dies” with its seventies style organ in a hard rock package and “2025” in applying industrial keyboards to create an outside the box futuristic metal effect.
Second volume is not without its share of signature traditional metal moments. “Flying” proves a buzzing piece with its vast rhythm guitar and defined capabilities and “John” a mid-tempo cruncher in which underpinning groove and laid-back aesthetics play lead roles. Lead guitar on the two borders on mesmerizing. Taking things to the next level is the eclectic “Love”, with its creative use of flowing King’s X style harmonies alongside burnished metal guitar and cowbell.
Rounding out the better Volume II material is a pair of closing instrumentals, which (again) represent projects only non re-recorded songs. “Serpiente” is my favorite of the two with its melodic fusion guitars and eerie keyboard solo that sounds straight off The Munsters soundtrack. “Halo” ups heaviness into eighties shred territory with a similar catchy riff basis while making brief use of church organ.
Lone downturn is a series of two and half-minute cuts that fail to grow on me in “Brain”, “He Made Me”, “Drinkin’ Wine” and “Shotgun Blast”. While far from bad, impression is incomplete in that each is too brief to develop and make a defining statement for itself.
Final verdict: In reaching similar musical heights as Volume I with an equal amount of choice material, I also assign an 80% grade.
Heavy Laden: Volume I and Volume II combine for a high volume of material that when boiled down to its better songs results in two great traditional meets doom metal albums. Of particular note is the consistency to the separate volumes in that I skip over only a handful of the 40 combined tracks. Credit Bill Menchen for having the foresight back in the day to re-record majority of the songs from the out of print four Rev Seven albums. Likewise, equal consideration to Retroactive Records for reissuing each volume with upgraded packaging and re-mastering. If a fan of Bill Menchen or traditional and doom metal, I encourage making the Retroactive reissues a priority purchase.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing (Volume I): “Kingdom Come” (3:17), “Powers And Authorities” (3:04) , “Sabbath Breaker” (3:35), “Chains” (2:58), “Dead Right Now” (2:24), “Father Of Lights” (2:29), “Fire” (2:26), “Gotta Get Back” (2:51), “His Holiness” (3:45), “Cast Down” (3:04), “Kiss The Son” (2:51), “No Return” (3:18), “Babylon” (3:09), “Over And Out” (2:29), “Save Me” (3:12), “Seven Thunders” (3:23), “The Hand Of God” (3:38), “Time Runs Out” (3:01), “Tonite” (2:28), “White Horse Man” (2:45)
Track Listing (Volume II): “Flying” (2:51), Brain” (2:39), “He Made Me” (2:30), “Machines” (2:48), “Desert” (2:55), “The Day That He Died” (2:52), “Drinkin’ Wine” (2:39), “John” (3:00), “Know Compromise” (3:15), “Love” (2:47), “Tell” (4:14), “Born A Sinner” (3:12), “Shotgun Blast” (2:25), “Harms Way” (2:45), “Sweet And Sour” (3:06), “The King Of Rock And Roll” (3:43), “Tomorrow” (3:00), “2025” (2:51), “Serpiente” (3:43) and “Halo” (3:36)
Musicians
Bill Menchen - Lead Vocals & All Instrumentation
