Miles Away frontman, Nick Horsnell delivers his top five releases from the Revealtion Records catalog.

1. ELLIOT - "False Cathedrals" (REV095)

It took a looong time to decide my #1 Revelation release and it turns out that its the newest release out of the whole top five. Prior to owning "False Cathedrals" I wasn't too interested with Elliott, I'd heard songs from their earlier album "US Songs" and other 7"s, but nothing really grabbed me.

At this time Rev was putting up an mp3 from each new release and Rev Board superstar posters (believe me it was a prestigious thing at the time, ask SXE Pete) would give their opinions on the song. Anyway Rev put up "Drive Onto Me" from False Cathedrals, and even then I can remember not being too impressed. I can't even remember what changed my mind, but months later I decided to buy this album on a trip to the East Coast. Turns out it was a good decision. Ten years later I can say that sample song, "Drive Onto Me", is now one of my favourite songs from the album. How things change…

For me its one of those records I can listen to from start to finish at any time and any place. From the first time I heard the piano intro "Voices" into "Calm Americans" I was hooked. "False Cathedrals" has epic songs, it has soft ambient songs, its got happy and beautiful songs, the whole spectrum. And the singer's voice is one of a kind.

Sometimes I wonder why this album wasn't put out on a big major. Whenever Tony (From The Ruins) and I get together, this album is a major point of discussion. I’m glad someone so into Madball (like myself) also shares a love for this album. Elliott released one more album, "Song In The Air" before breaking up, which was great but just not-as-great. You should own this.

2. GORILLA BISCUITS "Start Today" (REV012)

I was introduced to Gorilla Biscuits in the most un-crucial of circumstances to be honest. They were on the soundtrack of a boogie-boarding video I bought whilst in the US on holiday with my family when I was around 15. The only problem was the video was NTSC format, which hadn't reached Australia yet. Eventually a year later my parents got a new VCR and I watched that video to death. Not only did it have the flagship GB's song "New Direction" but also "Competition", complete with the amazing whistle solo. I still say that particular video had a huge impact in my years to come and introduced me to other important core bands like Minor Threat and 7 Seconds, besides the usual Face To Face and No Use For A Name songs on there that I was already obsessed with.

Probably a year or so later I finally picked up my own copy of "Start Today" from Streetcleaner, which sounded a lot better than the tapes which I recorded by holding my tape recorder next to the TV screen. Some people aren't into CIV's vocals, but I love them. The songs are energetic and melodic, never really getting too hard or aggressive at any point. I even like the freaky artwork, its classic.

Its not too often these days I find myself playing this record, but it still puts a smile on my face when a song comes on shuffle or I hear a band cover GBs. I can definitely say this album had a massive impact on me over the years and I'm stoked that I got to see them play my hometown and play with them!

3. SENSE FIELD "Building" (REV 046)

I first heard Sense Field on the Revelation Records "In Flight Program" sampler along with a million other bands I'd never heard of. The song they had on there "Building" was one of my favourites for sure. At this point I was borrowing a lot of CDs from an older friend of mine at school who was in bands. He must have got sick of me riding my bike over and leaving with 10 or more CDs each week, but he had a HUGE collection. Anyway on one of my visits I borrowed this album and recorded it onto cassette.

From the first song "Overstand" I was hooked. The voice, the riffs, just the feeling overall the songs gave me. It's not often you listen to an album from start to finish and have that kind of journey. Since then this has been one of my favourite records ever and I've tried to keep up with anything Sense Field's vocalist Jon Bunch has been involved in. For me there is a certain honesty in his voice and lyrics that really grab me.

Since this was my entry point for Sense Field it's always been the most important and favourite record of theirs, and the two records they released previously on Rev don't hold the same place in my collection unfortunately. But, I would recommend anyone into good post-hardcore/rock music to check out this album. I’m still bummed I lost my Sense Field hoody when I was drunk.

4. FARSIDE " THE MONROE DOCTRINE" (REV069)

I actually got this album by mistake, but I'm really really glad it got sent to me. Streetcleaner was a mail order (and later shop) out of Adelaide in the 90's that used to send out a huge paper zine/catalog of punk/hardcore/metal cds & shirts (along with heaps of other stoner type stuff) every couple of months. The awesome thing was they would give a brief description of each record under the title. Anyway by this point I was one of their best West Australian customers, and on my bi-monthly order one of the CD's I wanted wasn't available (I think it was Boy Sets Fire "In Chrysalis") so they sent me something off my "alternatives" list.

First thing I wasn't into immediately was the artwork. Looks like some cheap rip off James Bond shit and had ugly colours and fonts. But, nevertheless back then it was really exciting to get a record that you had no idea what it would sound like. I already knew a few Farside songs that I liked from compilations and videos but had never really delved in any further. But, when I heard this album for the first time I was blown away...mostly. The only real thing letting this album down (apart from the artwork) is the handful of filler and joke songs on it.

I guess Farside are a melodic pop-punk-rock band from Southern California with some really good acoustic jams too. Popeye is definitely one of, if not, my favourite non-hardcore vocalists ever. His lyrics and vocal delivery on songs like "I Hope You’re Unhappy", "Moral Straightjacket" and "Too Much Too Late" are really emotional for me. Though their previous album "Rigged" might have their best song "Audience", their final album tops it.

5. IN MY EYES "Nothing To Hide" (REV080)

At the stage when I was really getting "into" the core, everything in my opinion was happening in or around Boston. It was the mid-late 90's and the bands were Ten Yard Fight, Reach The Sky, Fastbreak, Bane and Floorpunch (NJ). But In My Eyes were always my favourite of that era. I was pretty into their first full length "The Difference Between" (I should think so, because I remember paying $38 for it at my local record store), but "Nothing To Hide" bettered it infinitely.
This album has some of the best melodic hardcore songs I've ever heard like "Take the Risk" or "Can't Live Through Me", but also has groovier/harder songs like "Welcome to Boston". A lot of the songs always had a darker or mature feel for me too which I liked and Sweet Pete's lyrics were always something to aspire too as well. Crisp and simple artwork, great production, it has it all.

I would love to have heard what In My Eyes would have come up with after this, but I'm also glad they didn't taint their legacy with something just not as good.

ROUNDING OUT THE TOP 10, JUST BECAUSE…

BY A THREAD - Last Of The Daydreams (REV082)

SUPERTOUCH - The Earth Is Flat (REV021)

FARSIDE - Rigged (REV033)

BATTERY - Whatever It Takes (REV065)

IGNITE - Past Our Means (REV054)