Forgotten Gem: Affiance – No Secret Revealed (2010)

“You’ve got to say “I’m a human being dammit. My life has value”. I
want you to get up now. I want all of you to get out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now, and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out and yell: “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!“”

Thus, opens up the Pandora’s Box that is Affiance‘s debut LP No Secret Revealed.  The album is a metal delight, rammed with memorable songs, pertinent lyrics and the most dramatic vocals given to human from Dennis Tvrdik.

Although No Secret Revealed is only five years old, the record looks like a classic, smells like a classic and, by goodness, is every bit a classic.  Opening up with the spoken rant from the film Network (“Mad As Hell”), the band charge into “Call to the Warrior”, which sounds like a demon raving to escape Purgatory.  The musicianship blows away challengers like Sabaton or Unisonic (both of whom I rate highly) with punches of pure precision being complete body blows.

Staring at the striking old style cover, I listened to the bursting “Nostra Culpa” next, was struck by the unusual lyrical content and saw the pure poetry of lines such as “In the age of reason, equations will be used to conclude that we don’t need our souls anymore. We mourn humanity in the name of progression.”  This is not your usual burger, but rather more ornate fare.

Obviously, there will be some who will not warm to such exotic bounty, but I believe that art and creative expression are what separates humans from other animals and gives us our
souls.  Close your eyes and listen to this record with an open mind.

Affiance continues the album with “A Monster Fed“, which I suspect could have multiple meanings, but it certainly is memorable with its relatively straightforward exposition.

Other tracks unsettle and entertain in equal measure.  The metalcore sound does lightly touch the music, but it is a balance that is unusual in that the clean vocals dominate rather than the growling…A smart move and one which gives Affiance its rather unique sound.

It would also be remiss not to mention the absolute storming guitar acrobatics on the record.  The tone, clarity and classical scaling of the guitars really are a class beyond many other bands and hats off to Brett Wondrak and Dominic Dickinson for their work.  The sound of the guitar duels brings to mind prime Judas Priest and that is high praise indeed!

On the whole, this record is very much up there with the best rock debuts.  Affiance are an active band who have just completed an Indiegogo campaign to raise money for a new EP release.  They are going to get bigger soon and check out No Secret Revealed, as its a darn fine introduction.

Feel the power and feed the monster.

Buy: No Secret Revealed

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