Well hey, it's another music writeup. This time it's an E.P. called 'One Last Time' by a band called The Raven, which is the band that has the little widget in the first post. They're described as Euro-American metal/dance metal, which isn't as questionable as it sounds. They've got a bite to their music, but it is rather good to dance to, in that way that Sisters Of Mercy songs are. They're a fairly new band, having been kicking around since 2007, and this E.P. does have some weaker points to it, however it is still incredibly fun, being dark and atmospheric without getting too self-important, and the way the whole thing is put together shows that this is a band with a lot of potential.
Track 1: Fireflies - starts off with a nice guitar riff for seven seconds as an introduction before descending quickly into a snarling pit of music. Despite the initial scream, one of the nicest things on the track is Davey Strehler's voice, which is melodic and very nice, if a little mismatched compared to the rest of the song, however, the guitar adds crunching chords to the mix, and the drums pound in the background in a way that gives the song momentum and overall it is a strong opening to what is a thoroughly enjoyable E.P.
Track 2: Self Denial - here, Davey picks up the pace a bit as the track opens. The chorus itself is a snarling, jagged thing that manages to achieve that rare thing: screams that are decipherable as words without the help of a lyric booklet. Once again, the guitar and drums are what carries the song forwards, whole thing rushing along at a pace that really does bring to mind falling, which matches the lyrics well. The solo soars with ominous energy before launching into the final chorus.
Track 3: One Last Time - unlike the previous two songs, the title track is a calm breather, opening with a piano before the vocals and guitar enter the mix, followed by violins in what is a startlingly beautiful tune. But don't think this is the token slow song that is often weak on a CD. This too has the same drive and power behind the instruments that builds as the song goes on, with what are almost eerie returns to the piano riff playing on its own that send tingles up the spine.
Track 4: Eleanor Rigby - a brief silence leads into this next piece which starts with a melodic explosion of strings and guitars and thudding drums before a return to something similar to Fireflies in the way the guitar has returned to the same crunching style, however this keeps the melody and string section of the previous track, and also brings back the snarls of Self Denial, this time keeping them on the outskirts of the music as if lurking at the side of some dark road. The song then spirals into a strange yet hypnotic hybrid of metal solo and string section
Track 5: Devil's Path - and this is where the notion of 'dance metal' really takes centre stage. This song hurtles right back into the heavier territory of the first two tracks, with a thudding, addictive riff and a dark, heavy sound that has a beat you really could dance to. Here is also where Davey Strehler's vocals really come into their own. He keeps his deep, languid tones backed by snarls, but here is the track where he truly sounds like he is enjoying himself, which adds a whole new layer of playful seduction to the E.P. which makes it all the more enjoyable as this final song, with its catchy chorus and inviting melody, truly does entice you onto the dark devil's path of The Raven's music.
So there you go. In the space of five tracks, all kinds of influences can be heard that mesh together into an E.P. . I suppose this band could be hailed as 'the new HIM', except in my opinion they could actually be better if not comercially, then musically at least. So keep an eye on them, I think they could be big.
So go and take a listen. It's dark, sexy and atmospheric.
