JOURNEY – Revelation [Japanese Edition +1] (Rare) *HQ*

320_1 /// 320_2 /// HQ 1 /// HQ 2

As requested, here’s JOURNEY 2008’s double album ”Revelation”, in its now rare Japanese Edition featuring an exclusive bonus track.
”Revelation” their first record with lead singer Arnel Pineda, features 11 new songs (“Faith in the Heartland” was previously recorded with Steve Augeri), and an extra disc including 11 re-recorded greatest hits (all featuring Pineda). Three singles penned by Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain were released to radio: the distinctively Journey-sounding “Never Walk Away,” “Where Did I Lose Your Love,” and the power ballad “After All These Years”.
The radio and a proper promotion made ”Revelation” triumph, being certified platinum. The album was not only a huge success in the United States, but also reached the charts in 9 different countries. In many ways, ”Revelation” was a positive return to form for the band from solid songwriting to musicianship, performances, and Pineda’s vocals.
The European edition featured an exclusive track as well, added here as extra.

The record opens with “Never Walk Away.” The track is a full on rocker reminiscent of songs like “Higher Ground” and “To Be Alive Again” from the Augeri-led 2001 “Arrival” album. It’s got all the trademarks of modern-day JOURNEY from its catchy chorus and flawless backing vocals to the shining guitar work of Schon. It’s a nice start to the new chapter of the band.
Up next is “Like A Sunshower”, which opens with the feel of the classic “Lights”, with its mellow and “breezy” guitar. The song is maybe the closest they have come to their vintage sound in years. The piano supplied by Jonathan Cain is perfect for the mood of the song. This is a song, in my opinion, that could be a real monster with repeated listens. It’s a little bit epic and very classy and you really hear the “Perry factor” in Pineda’s voice.

“Change For The Better” is another winner with its rocky, melodic chorus much like the opening track and the keyboards supplied by Cain really bring the band back to their classic sound. Another great solo is turned in by Schon on this song also. This is one of those tunes where the chorus will be stuck with you for days.
Another rocker follows with “Wildest Dream” and it is a little more rocking and “urgent” sounding than the band has been known for. This sound is something the band did with the song “Out Of Harms Way” from their previous effort, “Generations”.

Next up the band decided to re-record the track “Faith In The Heartland” from the “Generations” record. The song was the lead track on that record and one of the stronger on the album. I don’t mind hearing it again as its pretty much a straight-ahead and “faithful” (pun intended!) version of the original.
“After All These Years” is the first song that I believe was released to radio for this record. The song is a true JOURNEY ballad in the mold of – yes, I’m about to say it – “Faithfully” and “Open Arms”. It’s a total thought-invoking tearjerker of a tune. I thought the band did something similar on the “Arrival” record with the track “With Your Love” and it could even be compared to “When You Love A Woman” from the “Trial By Fire” album also. Sure it’s schmaltzy but it’s also good and with a little luck the band could have a hit on their hands with this track.

“Where Did I Lose Your Love” brings the band storming back with a huge sounding track with a big hook and chorus done in grand fashion. The song has a full sound and is again a classy track and to me has the feel of the song “Forever In Blue” from the “Trial By Fire” album. It’s not a full-on rocker but the sort of mid-paced track that JOURNEY is famous for.
“What I Needed” is another epic sounding track with a lot of emotion in Pineda’s vocals. It’s a moody and down-tempo song that sounds like something that could have come off the “Trial By Fire” album. And be sure to listen to the solo by Schon as it is one of the best I’ve heard in a while and fits the song perfectly.

“What It Takes To Win” is another epic sounding song with a great vibe. Again, it’s a mid-tempo track but like several tracks on this record it is one that I think with repeated listens could become a real monster of a song.
A ballad of sorts comes with “Turn Down The World Tonight”, a piano-based tune with some more thought-provoking lyrics. I found myself really starting to reflect while listening to it. With lyrics like “help me turn down the world tonight / take a quiet moment somewhere we can unwind / losing touch we forget to take time to share what’s in our hearts and speak what’s on our minds”. It’s really great song and nice way to bring the album to a “vocal” end as the final track “The Journey (Revelation)” is and instrumental tune that sounds like something you would have heard on the 2005 Neal Schon solo record “I On U”.

The Japan-only “The Place in Your Heart” is a re-recording form the Augeri era, now featuring Pineda on lead vocals. But the whole song was re-worked too, now with a more busy instrumentation.
There is also a great bonus track on the European edition: a strong song loaded with atmosphere, called “Let It Take You Back”. It’s about nostalgia, ironically, but I can relate and it’s a great tune backed by a strong riff. One of the best tunes on the album.

All in all, “Revelation” is a strong new chapter for JOURNEY and should make (most) fans of the band very happy. It was very successful for a Melodic Rock CD in 2008’s standards. One wonders what would happened if Jeff Scott Soto remained in the band and had recorded the lead vocals.
Anyway, this record stacks right up there with some of the best the group has done after their glorious era.
Highly Recommended

Ｋ Ｉ Ｎ Ｇ Ｒ Ｅ Ｃ Ｏ Ｒ Ｄ Ｓ ＪＡＰＡＮ
【Ｋ ＩＣＰ～1321】 (日本盤ボーナス・トラック)

＜DISC 1＞
01 – Never Walk Away
02 – Like a Sunshower
03 – Change for the Better
04 – Wildest Dream
05 – Faith in the Heartland
06 – After All These Years
07 – Where Did I Lose Your Love
08 – What I Needed
09 – What It Takes to Win
10 – Turn Down the World Tonight
11 – The Journey (Revelation)
12 – The Place in Your Heart (Arnel version) [Japan Bonus Track]
+ extra:
13 – Let It Take You Back [European Bonus Track]

＜DISC 2＞
01 – Only the Young
02 – Don’t Stop Believin’
03 – Wheel in the Sky
04 – Faithfully
05 – Any Way You Want It
06 – Who’s Crying Now
07 – Separate Ways
08 – Lights
09 – Open Arms
10 – Be Good to Yourself
11 – Stone in Love

Neal Schon – guitars, backing vocals
Jonathan Cain – keyboards, backing vocals
Ross Valory – bass, backing vocals
Deen Castronovo – drums, backing vocals
Arnel Pineda – lead vocals

Out of print
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/KICP-1321