Revelations of Oblivion

Revelations of Oblivion is the third studio album by death metal band Possessed. It was released on May 10, 2019 via Nuclear Blast.[1] The album entered the UK Rock & Metal Singles and Albums Charts at #7 and the Billboard Top Current Album Sales chart at #59 in its first week.[2][3]

Revelations of Oblivion
Studio album by
Possessed
ReleasedMay 10, 2019
StudioNRG studios, Titan Studios
Genre
Length54:15
LabelNuclear Blast
ProducerJeff Becerra
Possessed chronology
Ashes from Hell
(2006)		 Revelations of Oblivion
(2019)
Singles from Revelations of Oblivion
  1. "No More Room in Hell"
    Released: March 16, 2019

It is the band's first full-length studio album in 33 years, preceded by 1986's Beyond the Gates.[4] The album was announced on March 16, 2019 alongside the promotional single "No More Room in Hell".[5]

Per Metalinsider's Metal By Numbers weekly column, the album sold 200 units in its first week.[6]

The album marks the band's first full-length release for label Nuclear Blast, for which they signed in May 2017.[7]

The album's art was created by Zbigniew Bielak; Bielak had previously provided artwork for Absu, Deicide, Ghost, Gorguts, and Paradise Lost.[8]

The album features a host of new additions to the band, featuring only Becerra from the classic 80's lineup.[9] It is the first Possessed album to feature drummer Emilio Marquez and bassist Robert Cardenas of Coffin Texts, guitarist Daniel Gonzalez from Gruesome, and guitarist Claudeous Creamer.[10]

The album also marked the band's first "cinematic" music video in their history. A music video for "Graven", directed by Scott Hansen and featuring a cameo by the band's friend, actor Peter Stormare, was released on May 23, 2019.[11] A live video for the song "Shadowcult" was released the prior April.[12]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Angry Metal Guy[13]
Metal Storm8.5/10[14]
Distorted Sound Magazine8/10[15]
The Rock Pit10/10[16]
Heavy Music HQ[17]
Metal Utopia9/10[18]

Critics praised the album and Becerra's return, with Blabbermouth calling the album "a monstrous reaffirmation of this absurdly influential band's original ethos that it almost defies belief."[19]

Decibel Magazine praised the mixing of the album, calling Peter Tägtgren's mix "near perfect" and stating that Tägtgren was "able to get the modern edge out of Possessed while also preserving the magic of Randy Burns."[20] Decibel would go on to name the album the 6th best metal album of 2019.[21]

Exclaim! praised the album's original '80s death metal sound but also pointed out the symphonic elements of "Omen" and the technicality of tracks like "Abandoned".

Exclaim! concluded:

Possessed deserve to be spoken of in the same breath as Black Sabbath and Metallica when it comes to influence. Simply put, nobody does this as well as them and probably no one ever will. 'Revelations of Oblivion' was exactly the reminder we all needed.[22]

— Max Morin

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Chant of Oblivion"1:53
2."No More Room in Hell"4:48
3."Dominion"4:25
4."Damned"5:00
5."Demon"5:16
6."Abandoned"5:20
7."Shadowcult"4:43
8."Omen"6:41
9."Ritual"4:47
10."The Word"5:09
11."Graven"4:19
12."Temple of Samael"1:49
Total length:54:15

Personnel
Possessed
  • Jeff Becerra - vocals
  • Daniel Gonzalez - guitars
  • Claudeous Creamer - guitars
  • Robert Cardenas - bass
  • Emilio Marquez - drums
Production
  • Jeff Becerra - executive production
  • Daniel Gonzalez - production
  • Peter Tägtgren - mixing, mastering

Charts
Chart (2019) Peak
position
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[23] 81
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[24] 17
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[25] 2
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[26] 11

References
  1. "Shit That Comes Out Today: May 10th, 2019". MetalSucks. 2019-05-10. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  2. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40 | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
  3. "Top Current Album Sales the week of 05-25-2019". Billboard. May 25, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  4. "POSSESSED Frontman Discusses Inventing Death Metal". Metalinjection.net. 2019-03-26. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  5. "POSSESSED Announce First New Album Since 1986 With New Song "No More Room In Hell"". Metalinjection.net. 2019-03-16. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  6. "Metal by Numbers 5/15: Amon Amarth go berserk | Metal Insider". 15 May 2019. Archived from the original on 2020-02-19.
  7. "POSSESSED Signs To Nuclear Blast, First Album In 32 Years Coming In 2018". Metalinjection.net. 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  8. "Nuclear Blast USA". Nuclearblast.com. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  9. "You'll want to pounce on Possessed's first LP in three decades! | Metal Insider". 7 May 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-05-19.
  10. "Album Review: Possessed - "Revelations of Oblivion"". Decibel Magazine. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  11. "POSSESSED Unveil "Graven" Music Video". 23 May 2019.
  12. "POSSESSED Unleashes Live Version of New Song "Shadowcult"". 14 April 2019.
  13. "Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion Review". 10 May 2019.
  14. "Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion review".
  15. "ALBUM REVIEW: Revelations of Oblivion - Possessed". 10 May 2019.
  16. "ALBUM REVIEW: Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion". 26 April 2019.
  17. "Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion Review". 9 May 2019.
  18. "Possessed – Revelations of Oblivion Review – Metal Utopia". Archived from the original on 2020-02-20. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
  19. "Revelations of Oblivion - POSSESSED". 15 May 2019.
  20. decibelmagazine.com/2019/05/07/album-review-possessed-revelations-of-oblivion/
  21. "SPOILER: Here Are Decibel's Top 40 Albums of 2019". 12 November 2019.
  22. "Possessed Revelations of Oblivion | Exclaim!".
  23. "Possessed Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard.
  24. "Possessed Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard.
  25. "Possessed Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard.
  26. "Possessed Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard.
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