Album Review: Rev Rev Rev - Kykeon

What have Greek Potions, Italy, Shoegaze and Psych got in common? Rev Rev Rev, since you ask, band from Modena who have teamed up with Spiritualised producer James Aparicio (who has also worked with Cult of Dom Keller and Dead Vibrations) and Fuzz Club for their latest album Kykeon.

Kykeon in case you’re wondering, is a Greek word meaning to mix or stir, and it’s also the name of an ancient Greek drink, fabled to be psychoactive. 

The band were recently named by Daily Bandcamp as 'One of Europe’s finest ’gazer bands of the last decade'. They received airplay on Radio 6 and have appeared on the festival circuit with the likes of Jesus and Mary Chain, Brian Jones Town Massacre and Wire.

Kykeon starts with ‘Waiting for Godel’, a bruising track that reminds me of Loop (obviously a good thing). This means loud fuzz guitar, feedback, submerged vocals and repetition, all done very well. The track ends a little bit abruptly, and then goes into the single Clutching the Blade, another bruiser that smacks you round the eardrums. The Loop theme continues with '3 not 3', slower paced and not dissimilar to ‘Forever’ from Loop’s first album ‘Heavens End’. The curiously titled ‘Gate of the Dark Female’ follows in a similar psychedelic vein. So far so noisy, so good, albeit each track could do with being expanded on and developed further. 

Next up is the albums other single One Illusion is Much Like Another, which takes the album into Shoegaze territory. Egocandy and Sealand bring the noise again, with the next two tracks ‘Adrift in the Chaosmos’ and ‘Summer Clouds’ coming on like My Bloody Valentine. Cyclopes and Spots on the Dice complete the album nicely.

If you're a fan of shoegaze and psych rock, this should be right up your street. Kykeon is released on Fuzz Club on the 20th September, and you can pre-order it here: 

https://fuzzclub.shop/products/rev-rev-rev-kykeon. 

The band are also playing a few UK gigs in October: 

22/10 The Lanes Bristol
25/10 Chameleon Arts Centre Nottingham
26/10 The Waiting Room London
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