Customer Reviews

Malice in Wonderland

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Raventhrone sounds like a mixture of Black Metal harshness with Pazuzu like ambient medieval introludes and melodies. Raventhrone has a very triumphant atmosphere, as though you are preparing for battle! A great combonation of typical "trollish" vocals, but the high lights are when Ray sings in "clear" Viking-like chants! Absolutely brilliant! This is a MUST have for fans of Ray Wells work on the ALL MIGHTY Dark ambient PAZUZU. Basic difference is that Raventhrone has more Black Metal tunes! Lovely Mixture when you combine the two if you ask me!

Well, i have to say i like Raventhrones newer CD, but this one is awesome too. The only thing I dislike about this band is that the guitars suck. The guitars fit the atmosphere, but I wouldn't have minded some shredding in that atmosphere. I love the keyboards and the vocals, which are the highlight of this band. The drums are ok, they could have fitted the music a little more, but they were fairly complex and fast.

I think the band creates beautiful music along with awesome intense music, so if you like beautiful intense music, then this is a great buy.

Raventhrone is a side project of Ray Wells. He formed the band Pazazu. Now why Raventhrone is a side project and Pazazu is the main band I have no idea. They both play similar music, that is, medieval style Black Metal, with some choirwork and a symphonic ensemble, with both clean and gruff vocals. The difference is ostensibly Raventhrone's use of modern instruments like electric guitar and synthesizer, while Pazazu tries to use instruments of the middle ages. There are other groups that do this too, like Cruachen, In Extremo, Saltatio Mortis and N'SYNC, sorry, I couldn't resist.

Raventhrone is about as close as I get to Death Metal, at least extreme Death Metal. I hear extreme Death metal can darken your eyes, turn your fingernails and tongue black and make holes mysteriously appear in your nose, lip, ears and nip..., I better not go there. A death metal purist would probably scoff at the notion that Raventhrone is Death Metal or even Black Metal. Actually it's a lot like Viking Metal but with Medieval basis instead of Viking folklore. It's melodic and some songs songs sound fairly accessable.

Conclusion:

I highly recommend Malice in Wonderland for fans of Viking Metal bands, like Moonsorrow or Fintroll or fans of Eternal Tears of Sorrow and Silentium or any of the B&B bands like Tristania, After Forever etc. Malice in Wonderland, a form of Medieval Black Metal, is right up your alley.