На хрустальных качелях

Raventale is the Ukraine based black/doom metal project of a sole person known as Astaroth. На Хрустальных Качелях (which translates to "On A Crystal Swing") is the debut, and it is full of fantastic and epic melodies that bring Drudkh to mind. The comparison is inevitable, not only since both bands are from the same country, but also because this really does have the expansive, unfolding majesty that Drudkh pulls off. I would also mention Burzum, but Drudkh owes a lot of their style to Burzum anyway. Of course, there are also a few differences that set this apart.

There is an excellent use of keyboards on this record, in a fashion that would make Varg Vikernes proud. They are used sparingly and in just the right manner to add essential complementary layers to the music. Another variation is in the vocals, which are a deep growl closer to death metal than the standard shrieks of black metal. However, they fit well with the slow pace of most of the tunes on this CD, and it is always nice to hear something that is not entirely generic in black metal.

If you love the grandeur and lengthy minimalism of Drudkh or Burzum or any such band, you will probably love Raventale too. Astaroth gives us one unforgettable piece of beauty with this debut, and it is a record that easily let's the listener just "drift away" into serene and distant landscapes, untouched by human hands. Words do no justice to the actual content though, as you may imagine, so I urge you to hear this yourself. It is positively sublime, and I suspect this won't be so obscure for long.

--Originally posted on Guitar6.com--