Interview with Revocation’s Dave Davidson: Tech meets Tech-Death

Dave Davidson, the vocalist and lead guitarist of Boston-based technical death metal band Revocation, has been a driving force in modern extreme music since the band’s formation in 2006. Known for their complex compositions, blistering speed, and progressive approach, Revocation has released eight studio albums, earning critical acclaim for their ability to seamlessly blend aggression with intricate musicianship.

A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Davidson completed his degree with honors in 2008 before cementing his reputation as one of the most innovative guitarists in metal. His playing style is a unique fusion of metal, jazz, rock, and progressive elements, setting him apart as a musician who constantly pushes boundaries. With a deep understanding of theory and composition, he crafts songs that challenge traditional metal conventions while maintaining the genre’s intensity.

Welcome, and thanks for chatting with Progspace!  Your new single, ‘Confines of Infinity’, just dropped. What’s it about in your own words? 

With rapid tech advancements – AI generating text, stories, and images – it got me thinking from the AI’s perspective. It raises questions about consciousness. What is it? How does ours compare to AI’s?

In the future, who knows? These models might resemble human consciousness. If so, what are the implications? Will AI obey us, or develop its own goals? How far might those goals diverge?

Could AI see us as a nuisance or threat? Would it seek to eliminate us?

That’s the essence of the song. A decade ago, this was sci-fi. Now, it’s real – and concerning. It’s the Frankenstein’s monster or Pandora’s box scenario. We’re meddling with forces we don’t fully understand.

Even scientists admit they don’t entirely understand how AI works. It’s a black box, creating its own language and behaving unpredictably. That’s alarming – and perfect for a heavy metal song.

From the lyrics, it sounds like a warning – like the AI takes over and neutralizes the human threat. 

Exactly. In metal, we explore worst – case scenarios. Sure, AI could lead to a utopia – but also total extermination.

As a creative person, how do you see AI impacting music? 

AI hasn’t hit music as hard yet, but it’s changed visual arts. You can input a prompt into a model, and it creates album art in various styles.

I worry for artists relying on originality. AI pulls from existing data, raising copyright and originality concerns.

While music isn’t hit as hard yet, it’s only a matter of time. AI is coming for everyone.

AI seems more of a threat to commercial production music – pop, easy listening – than technical, progressive music. I imagine AI will struggle to replace musicians pushing instrumental and technical boundaries. 

You’re probably right – for now. But AI evolves exponentially. What seems impossible today might be real in a year.

The instrumental part of the song has a stomping groove. What inspired that main riff? 

I like to mix things up. Revocation fans expect speed and technical passages, so I threw a curveball.

People expect fast, thrashy death metal, but I like to challenge expectations. This song is sludgy, inspired by Morbid Angel’s mid-tempo tracks, Gojira’s hypnotic grooves, and Cannibal Corpse’s slow, crushing songs.

The goal was to keep it sludgy, heavy as hell, and brutally intense.

You featured Travis Ryan from Cattle Decapitation. How did that happen? 

Travis and I have been friends for years and toured together. With our upcoming tour, I knew he’d be perfect for this track.

Travis often writes about humanity as a plague, so I thought he’d be great to embody the vengeful AI – an entity that gains sentience and takes revenge on humanity.

The band has a new lineup. What happened with former bassist Brett Bamberger? 

Brett was with us for a long time, but people’s priorities change. He’s focusing on other projects. We wish him the best.

Alex Weber [Exist, Malignancy, WAIT, Svenghali, ex-Obscura] stepped in, and after one gig, he fit right in. This was during recording and upcoming tours, so his bass work on ‘Confines of Infinity’ and other tracks was perfect.

It’s always tough to see a bandmate leave, but Revocation remains my priority, and Alex aligned with our vision seamlessly.

Considering Alex: What’s your take on fretless bass in death metal? 

It’s cool. Alex is versatile – he plays upright bass in jazz gigs and even builds his own basses.

For Revocation, he plays fretted bass, but metal is about pushing boundaries. Fretless bass works great in the right context, and I respect bands that experiment with it.

For a while, you performed as a trio with one guitar. Now you’re back to two. What led to that decision? 

We’ve always been a four-piece live, even after Dan [Gargiulo] left. The trio setup was mainly for videos and promo material.

Live, we kept playing as a four-piece while searching for the right guitarist. Harry [Lannon] toured with us, and it just made sense to officially bring him in, alongside Alex. Now, Revocation has a solid lineup that fans recognize.

Now, are Harry and Alex already writing? Are they recording a new album? 

The new album’s recorded. It’s already done. I wrote all the material, but Alex played bass. As for bringing them into writing, that’ll be down the line.

Now, about your writing process, what comes first when writing a new Revocation album? 

Same every time. I start with the riffs and build from there.

In terms of composition, Revocation often has an upbeat or major feel – major chords, add 9s – yet it works in death metal. What makes that possible? 

I don’t like limitations. I create riffs that fit our sound. If something has a major key feel, that’s fine if it fits the song’s mood. Often, I use Lydian or other modes.

This is a prog blog, right?

Sure, yeah. 

Using Lydian, you get a sharp 4, adding tension to a major key. Evil, heavy sounds are great, but different modes refresh the listener. Major doesn’t always mean happy – it can be epic, triumphant, or mysterious.

Take a major triad. Sharp the 5, and it’s augmented. A whole-tone scale with major thirds often sounds happy, but pair it with a flat 7 or sharp 5, and it feels otherworldly. I don’t limit myself by metal norms – I experiment.

From jazz training, I know a major triad with a different bass note can sound dark. A B flat root with an E major triad gives flat 5, flat 7, and flat 9 – dissonant and eerie. It’s musical alchemy.

You’re fully trained. Do you write with theory in mind, or is it pattern-oriented? 

I just write music. Theory helps with harmonies or solos – analyzing chords like in jazz. But when writing riffs, I don’t think about theory. For example, Bel [Belisario Demuzio] from Cattle Decapitation asked about the key of ‘The Outer Ones.’ I don’t know – it’s almost a 12-tone row, with 11 out of 12 notes.

Theory is a tool, but when writing, I rely on instinct.

Maybe that’s a jazz influence. Some neoclassical metal bands are strict about keys. Metal might need that flexibility. 

It depends on the band. Some musicians know theory but don’t write great music, while others know none but tap into something cosmic. I use theory when needed, but it’s in the background, not the foreground.

What makes a great solo? These days, technical ability alone isn’t enough with so many skilled YouTube guitarists. 

A great solo has strong melodies, rhythm variation, and technical flair. Tempo matters – eighth notes feel different at different speeds. A mix of melody, rhythm, and technical moments grabs attention.

Marty Friedman is a great example – melodic, technical, and fluid. Dimebag Darrell [Pantera] and Dan Mongrain from Voivod also inspire me. The mix of melody, rhythm, and technicality makes a solo stand out.

What’s next for the band? You’re touring Europe now – what’s after that? 

After Europe, we’re home for a few months, then touring the U.S. More plans are in the works – lots of Revocation news coming.

Is there an album in the foreseeable future? 

Yes, but I can’t share much yet. New music is coming. Right now, we’re promoting ‘Confines of Infinity.’ The video is out and streaming everywhere – just giving fans a taste of what’s next.

Well then, thanks for talking to The Progspace. 

Catch Revocation live at their upcoming tour dates:

FEB. 14 Kulturzentrum Faust – Hannover, Germany
FEB. 15 Huxleys Neue Welt – Berlin, Germany
FEB. 16 Amager Bio – Copenhagen, Denmark
FEB. 17 Fryshuset Klubben – Stockholm, Sweden
FEB. 19 Rockefeller Music Hall – Oslo, Norway
FEB. 20 Restaurang Trädgårn – Göteborg, Sweden
FEB. 21 Fabrik – Hamburg, Germany
FEB. 22 Essigfabrik – Köln, Germany
FEB. 23 Poppodium 013 – Tilburg, Netherlands
MAI 08 Goldfield Trading Post Roseville – Roseville, CA
MAI 10 El Corazon – Seattle, WA
MAI 11 Treefort Music Hall – Boise, ID
MAI 13 Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO
MAI 15 Delmar Hall – Saint Louis, MO
MAI 18 Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, MN
MAI 21 The KING of CLUBS – Columbus, OH
MAI 23 Palladium – Worcester, MA
MAI 25 The National – Richmond, VA
MAI 28 The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
MAI 30 Revolution Live – Fort Lauderdale, FL
JUNI 02 White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX
JUNI 03 Come and Take It Live – Austin, TX
JUNI 04 Trees – Dallas, TX
JUNI 07 The Nile Theater – Mesa, AZ
JUNI 08 Backstage Bar & Billiards – Las Vegas, NV
JUNI 11 Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
JUNI 12 The Observatory North Park – San Diego, CA
JUNI 13 1720™ – Los Angeles, CA