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Ravensire: A Stone Engraved In Red

Heavy Metal

4.5/5.0

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Cruz Del Sur Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 19.06.2019 | Released: 21.06.2019

Rising once more from the European heavy metal underground is Portugal's Ravensire. It's been three years since their last studio album, The Cycle Never Ends. Their second album for Cruz Del Sur Music, A Stone Engraved In Red is dedicated to two fallen metal comrades, Manilla Road's Mark Shelton and Barbarian Wrath's Hartmuth Schindler.

Ravensire

Fans of Ravensire will find the band traversing familiar musical territory within A Stone Engraved In Red. They drink from that pristine well of classic and traditional heavy metal. Robust riffs combine with an energetic and roaring rhythm section to lead to impressive guitar solos for some epic heavy metal. In this sense they do honor Mark Shelton and Manilla Road, but also find company with peers such as Omen and early Manowar. Ravensire proudly flys the flag of keep it true heavy metal.

While fans of the band and genre will enjoy the entirety of this album, here's a few highlights. Thieves Of Pleasure develops with thick riffage and mixed pacing to deliver a rush of power metal. Both Gabriel Lies Sleeping and Dawning Darkness have sharp guitar starts before rising to thick and raging heavy metal. The latter song offers a slower breakdown at midpoint with a fine guitar solo reinforced by the bass line. Similar in character is Carnage At Karnag where, in the middle, a short guitar solo gives way to an impressive drum segue. While the lead guitar work is ambitious throughout, the solo in the latter half of The Smiting God is both furious and frenzied. With the instrumental Bloodsoaked Fields and the longer epic The Games Of Titus, you'll find Ravensire flirting with some acoustic guitar in their song arrangements. All in all, with A Stone Engraved In Red, Ravensire once delivers a fine album of powerful and epic traditional heavy metal. Recommended.

Neal Morse: Jesus Christ - The Exorcist

Melodic Progressive Rock

5.0/5.0

Some 50 years ago a controversial concept album, Jesus Christ Superstar hit the record stores. The rock opera slash musical made Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

With A Stone Engraved In Red, Ravensire once delivers a fine album of powerful and epic traditional heavy metal. Recommended.

Alphabetical Index

Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]