I may be an old softie, but it always warms the heart to see young bands getting out, learning their craft by gigging and taking their first steps into recording. Ravage Machinery are from Finland and this is their first EP after a couple of demos. Not only that, though, it's also a concept EP, concerned with society and technology. Not overly original, but kudos for focus and balls for trying it.
What we get are four songs that are in a very modern metal mould.
'Thus I Serve' introduces the band with no messing about. Barked and bellowed vocals power through on some impressively dense and heavy riffs in a death thrash style with a keen and commercial sense of melody, the kind of thing that Nevermore always had a handle on. A touch of the Machine Head too, perhaps. when the lead guitar takes off is where the quality leaps up several notches, though. Fluid, melodic classic metal spice to the solid fare. Lethal Slavery steps off the gas a touch and adds a juddering ominous riff and once again some cracking lead passages to sharpen the palate. 'Collapse To Retaliate' does a similar job to the opener, but is a bit generic, possibly. However the lads pull it all back together with the pounding finale of 'March Of The Condemned'. A real battering number with some great vocals and melody lines with a rock solid bass and some hammering drum work anchoring each time change. Excellent.
Really there is little to worry about here the group are a real tight unit with power to spare and an instinctive grasp of melodic hooks without losing that power. A little genetic in a couple of patches, maybe, but these will be ground out soon, I have no doubt. Bit worried by one haircut though.... (yep, I'm scraping the barrel for issues here!)
Very, very promising band. Keep an eye on them, they could be a bit special.
http://www.myspace.com/ravagemachinery
http://www.ravagemachinery.com
Gizmo
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