Day: November 7, 2012

I first came across the prolific Ukrainian one-man band Raventale back in not too distant 2009, when Astaroth decided to release their first English-language record Mortal Aspirations, and the impression I got was that of a project with great potential not fully expressed at that juncture. After three years and just as many full lengths, Transcendence comes to substantiate that prediction by placing the talented musician from Kiev at the levels he deserves. The four long tracks that make up this work are as many jewels of a black with shades now doom now post-metal, in the wake of Wolves In The Throne Room as well as of compatriots Drudkh, but these comparisons are useful only to explain, in broad strokes, what kind of sonority should be expected by those who find themselves listening to Raventale for the first time. In fact, all the music contained in Transcendence lives by its own light, offering forty-five minutes that will delight those who prefer the more emotional side of extreme metal. The melodies resting on pounding blast beats and the vocals, now in growl, as in the opener Shine, now in scream but always convincing and appropriate, help draw a picture very close to perfection. The work is appreciable above all for its overall quality, the emotional tension never wanes and Astaroth does not at any juncture make the mistake of resting on his laurels by inserting mannered passages with the sole function of filler. A splendid test for an exponentially growing musician and a record to be had and listened to without any hesitation.

2012 – BadMoodMan Music