Root - The Revelation (CD)

Root's "The Revelation" is unquestionably one of the most mysterious releases in this enigmatic band's catalog. Although it was originally never intended to be officially released, it was eventually unearthed and released on CD. That CD, however, does no justice to the music it contains and was not even acknowledged as an official release by some band members. The details surrounding the recording of "The Revelation" are nearly as obscure as the music itself. Root's debut album, "Zjeveni," was released in 1990 and was recorded entirely in Czech. When Root began recording their second album they chose to present the lyrics in English in order to spread their message of darkness even further. At the same time, the idea was presented to also re-record the "Zjeveni" album with English vocals. Because it was never intended for actual release, this version appears only in a raw, unmixed form. In many ways, this primitive sound is more akin to Root's sound on their demos than to that of their early albums. Another curious element of "The Revelation" is the inclusion of additional intros recorded and added to the album that are not present on "Zjeveni." Virtually nothing else is known about how this particular recording was made or discovered. It does, however, deserve a formal place alongside the many other classic Root releases and this proper issue of "The Revelation" should ensure that it achieves its rightful status.