(Rock Ridge) The Revere will be releasing "Ashia," on June 14, 2011 exclusively via Amazon.com. "Ashia" was recorded at both Shorefire Studios in New Jersey and at the home studio of mixer Dave Pittenger (Allison Weiss, Julia Price, Martin Rivas), and was produced by Jason Spiewak (Benjy Davis Project, Pat McGee, Chris Volz).
Says Spiewak: "We are excited to reach all of those who downloaded the band's first album, 'The Great City,' thru Amazon. The band's sound has become more defined and gelled – with this collection of tunes, I think they've arrived."
The band feels similarly, with guitarist/vocalist Sean Kelly saying, "We do feel that we have sharpened our sound with 'Ashia,' but we have so much left to say! This release has helped us discover a clearer vision for the direction of our music. At this point, we have realized what we want to do conceptually but we are always exploring new musical ideas. We are very excited about the songs and the sounds on 'Ashia,' but we are continuing to improve and build upon what we've already done." Rounding out the trio are Kelly's brother Pat (drums) and Michael Pearson (bass): all three studied at Temple University in Philadelphia.
"Ashia" is the follow-up to and a continuation of the story begun in the band's debut album, "The Great City" - a concept album about loyalty, love, finding one's self, and coming of age; it was produced by Spiewak, Ryan Carter Newell (guitarist for Sister Hazel) and Rich Smalley. "Ashia" visits the backstory of an important character introduced in "The Great City" and serves as a both a link and springboard between "The Great City" and the rest of the tale, which will be told in the band's next album. The narrative of "Ashia" happens before the dream that began "The Great City" – it tells the backstory of the character Lesedi, his revenge against his wife's killers, and the emptiness he finds in spite of it all. It is this emptiness that is the impetus for the sweeping saga embraced in "The Great City" and the still-to-be-recorded second album.
"'Ashia' sounds huge," says Pat Kelly, "and that's what we were going for. We talked a lot with both Jason and Dave about what we wanted it to sound like, and I think we fully achieved it." The band's latest project kicks off with the driving rock of "Silhouette," and "The Captor" continues the rhythmic momentum, the prog-esque meter changes mirroring the character's unrest and disquiet. The title track, "Ashia," provides quieter introspection before tightening the screws emotionally and musically, ending in an anthem-like crescendo. The collection's closer, "I Will Arise," is a single song in two movements that drifts on an almost lullaby-like sea of despair and resignation, and, finally, hope.
