Hailing from Dudley, Eyes of the Raven are back (following a short hiatus) with a brand-new line up and a brand-new EP. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Ant Wall of Firestorm Productions, the EP captures the band’s heavy, stoner groove in all its glory. Featuring six tracks and packaged in a handsome digi-pack (with artwork by Andy Pilkington of Very Metal Art), ‘Crown of serpents’ sees the band pushing themselves to deliver a powerful statement of intent that is sure to appeal to fans of bands such as Orange Goblin and Black Label Society, and there’s no question that Eyes of the Raven are set to garner considerable attention with this release.
Surging into action, the band hit hard and hit fast with the ferocious riffing of ‘Black sun rising’ doing much to recall the likes of Down with Dave Horan treading a similar line between outright aggression and melody to Phil Anselmo. It’s a fine start, with guitarists Ross Pickett and Luke Simms laying down a series of sludgy, blistering riffs all the while leaving room for some suitably impressive solo work and the production, whilst perhaps lacking a touch of high-end sparkle, certainly gives weight to the band’s devilish groove. The pace picks up a touch as Phil Harris sets about his drum kit with wild abandon on ‘five year winter’. An impressive drummer, he deals in both power and precision and he gives Eyes of the Raven the titanium backbone they need. However, fire and fury are nothing without good song-writing and in this, Eyes of the Raven do not disappoint. Despite the brutal nature of the material, there’s an inherent melody that keeps things memorable and it’s easy to imagine audiences going mental for tracks of the quality of ‘five years’. Next up, the Sabbath-esque ‘embrace the void’ takes old school heavy metal, throws in a pinch of Sepultura groove and calls it good. I’m a sucker for exactly that sort of surging riff, but it’s the rather more nuanced title track, with its spoken word intro, subtle guitar work and restrained percussion that puts the icing on the cake. The shift in dynamic does much to emphasise the heavier material elsewhere, and it’s good to see a band brave enough to wear their hearts on their sleeves at the core of an otherwise blistering EP. The production here, whilst fine, is, perhaps, a touch dry but it’s an otherwise excellent track that underscores the diversity of the band’s influences.
Having brought the melody, Eyes of the Raven plunge into the stygian darkness with the demonically sludgy ‘I endure’ which pits slow-mo riffing, intelligent lyrics and churning bass (Craig Preston) against Phil’s typically excellent drumming. It’s a brilliant contrast to what came before and it feels all the heavier for it. The EP ends, and far too damn quickly, with the taut, heavy riffing of ‘what binds us’, a track that adds a surprisingly melodic vocal to the mix, the band once again surprising the listener with their impressive ability to adapt their sound to the needs of the song. It’s a fine conclusion to a fine EP and it leaves you absolutely wanting more.
Overall ‘crown of serpents’ is a phenomenal relaunch for Eyes of the Raven. Brilliantly diverse across its six-track run time, well-packaged and well-produced, it captures the band’s power and, more crucially, their heart, with more melodic numbers such as the title track and the closing number, ‘what binds us’, showcasing a band unafraid to dip their toes into uncharted waters. Highly recommended, ‘Crown of serpents’ looks set to open many doors for Eyes of the Raven. 9
Find out more about Eyes of the Raven at the band’s official site here: eyesoftheraven.com
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