Friday, 21 September 2012

New Poll question!!

So, those of you who are familiar with the band will know a bit more about our 5 lovely Ravens. Especially if you followed our 10 questions feature a few months ago, where each member revealed some hidden information about themselves. (If you have not read this feature, you have missed out as there were some very interesting and funny answers!) I may link them up again later ;)

Anyways, the question! If you could spend a day with one band member, who would it be? Well I'm not one for popularity contests, but I do like to stir up chaos and mayhem. This is just the beginning!

The Raven's Shadow is cast over the band once more. Show me your answers! Poll is situated to the top right of the page.

Stay Raven!

Tuesday, 11 September 2012

The Raven's Spotlight

This is a new feature and it's about shining a spotlight on other influential bands out there and introducing them to you all. What can be better than sharing the music we love right? Throughout our musical journey we will come across many bands which will strike a chord with our tastes and moods. Music gives us a backing track for reflection or nostalgia. It can invoke happiness or help put in to perspective a personal ordeal or trauma, if and most often is the case, the lyrics are something you can relate to. Every now and again I will feature a band which has had a significant effect on my life's journey and has helped me put a few pieces together. Ravenscry are an awesome band and have totally put across a thought provoking glance at the rigors and hardships of every day existence. We often need food for thought and there are a few genius bands out there which tap into the essence of the human psyche as well as blend the exceptional lyrics with incredible musicianship and originality.

The first band I will introduce you to, is one which I discovered in 2006 (if I remember correctly!) I started getting in to progressive music a couple of years earlier, after spending a good many years listening to power metal. I started to love the complexity of the compositions, the technical wizardry and the way songs could fragment in to different sections with aggressive guitar work and then more gentler, reflective and atmospheric elements coming in to play. To me this was complete music, as it took you through a ride of emotions and feelings. My thirst for progressive music began to grow and I wanted to get the opportunity to see some of the bands that i was starting to like. After a little research, I came across a festival which was to take place for the first time in the UK, called Prog Power. It was the perfect showcase for the best progressive and power metal bands out there. These days there is a lot of crossover appeal with bands playing a blend of melodic metal with progressive elements.

This brings me to the band in question which I  managed to see live at the second prog power event in the UK in 2007. This was also how I discovered the band, as they were on the lineup for the festival.

Introducing from Helsingborg, Sweden I give you

Cloudscape


Under Fire - videoclip from self titled album 'Cloudscape'

This video is for the song from their debut self titled album, Cloudscape, released in 2004. It immediately caught my attention. Aggressive, melodic, and with a theme running through it, which was socially aware and current. I wanted to learn more about the band so I scoured every resource and bought the albums, they had two released by the time I had discovered them. The original line up consisted of frontman Mike Andersson, backed up by guitarists Bjorn Eliasson and Patrik Svard. Charismatic bassist Hans Persson and Roger Landin on drums. This team of musicians injected a wave of energy in the prog/melodic metal world. As still yet relatively unknown but received acclaim for their work by metal critics on their solid, up tempo diverse and imaginative sound.



Cloudscape album sampler

This sampler gives you a taste of the overall sound of the debut album. It is dark and haunting in places, extremely melodic, energetic and fresh. A very underrated and unknown album but musically and lyrically stunning and would not be out of place in any metal collection as it truly holds its own. It is very difficult to pick stand out tracks from a disc that simply oozes with excellence, but if I were to name a few then Some of the stand out tracks include Under Fire, In these Walls, Aqua 275, Out of the Shadows and Dawn of Fury. Truth is, you really need to listen to this album as a whole and judge it as a whole because to say some tracks are better than another is doing the band with their strong themes, music and lyrics a disservice.



Out of the Shadows - Cloudscape

Crimson Skies

The second album, entitled Crimson Skies released in 2006, continued on from the foundations laid out in the debut album. A little more darker in tone and theme with some stellar keyboard work as can be heard in this sampler. The album is not necessarily more progressive but the instrumental work is more refined and tighter. Pretty much what gave the band it's identity and trademark sound is still intact and it offers up more great music skillfully woven once more by the five piece outfit.




Crimson Skies album sampler

Again this album is best enjoyed and rated as a whole but if I were to pick out a few stand out tracks it would have to be Shapeshifter, Shadowland, Take the Blame, Breach in my Sanity, 1000 souls, We Will Remain (Featuring Guest vocals from current Nightwish front woman, Annette Olson!)



A live performance at Sweden Rock Festival 2006

Cloudscape could be compared to other bands out there but I think they totally add their own twist creating a distinctive sound which becomes recognizable after just a few listens. They entered the genre with a big bombastic melodic sound that fully embodies the spirit of melodic metal and takes it through a few dark twisty turns. Sprays it with a little prog and finishes it off with a big helping of catchy vocals, thought provoking and captivating lyrics, thus forging the Cloudscape sound.


In addition to their prog power UK appearance in 2007 the band were back in the UK a year later to perform at the Bloodstock Open Air festival. Bloodstock is pretty much the premier Metal festival here and gaining a spot at such an event would have done very well in Exposing the Cloudscape sound to a British Audience. I also had the pleasure of meeting the band backstage and they are not only fine musicians but very personable and friendly. They have always given me time and we have worked together on a fans forum which is now sadly closed as Facebook swept through the social networking world. It is rare for a band to be so outgoing and inclusive with regards to their projects and if you like what you see and hear, then by all means, make contact, have a chat with Mike and get to know the band and their work.
 
 
That wraps up part 1 of this spotlight charting the early years of Cloudscape. The second part will focus on the recent years, lineup changes, new material and more!   




Friday, 31 August 2012

So here it is the new video clip goes live!

The wait is over folks! Check out the new videoclip for calliope.



Head over to facebook, and congratulate the band on an awesome video.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/RavenscryBand

Tuesday, 28 August 2012

Wake up world! Interview with Giulia!


Here is the interview with front woman, Giulia of a band I do not need to introduce as you should all be familiar with by now. Well this is the only Ravenscry fan blog on the web! And we bring it to you straight up. Orginally posted in Italian on Rockambula webzine, I have a translated version here for English readers. Although not a perfect translation I made a few grammatical corrections to the questions and answers. Hoping that the overall message is still intact and clearly understandable. 

Interview with Giulia Stefani on Rockambula webzine.

The goals are achieved by sacrifice, by the force of will and determination. The band Ravenscry are successful with their capacity to achieve important goals. Speaking to Rockambula here is fascinating Giulia who will illustrate a bit about the path of the band.

First of all, can you go ahead and present Ravenscry to our readers?

Giulia: Why not? The project Ravenscry was founded in 2008, inspired by the wish histrionic talents of drummer Simon Carminati, sarcasm irritating bassist Fagio, charm misunderstood guitarist Mauro Paganelli, stability swinging rhythm guitarist Paul Raimondi and boundless passion for animals of the singer Giulia Stefani.

This "One Way Out" is your debut album, what can you say about it: how, where and with whom were you in all phases of recording and mixing?

Giulia: Well, so you force me to go serious! I will be a huge effort ... One Way Out is the result of a real team effort: the ideas proposed by some, were then developed with the contribution of all, enriching the background and the tastes of each one of us. On the production side, although we counted exclusively on our limited resources, we did not want to compromise on quality and we have used the expertise of leading professionals. With regard to the registration phase: Simone Simone Mularoni and Bertozzi Fear Studio and Dario Ravelli of Suonovivo, for the phase mixing and mastering: Fabrizio Grossi Sound of Pisces (Steve Vai, Slash, Cypress Hill, Alice Cooper, etc..) and Tom Baker of Precision Mastering (Judas Priest, Sevendust, Manson, Megadeth, and so on) in Los Angeles.

With regard to the promotion of the album as you are moving forward, what kind of work are you doing?

Giulia: Our main strategy is to establish, as far as possible, a report "human" with those who follow us and appreciate us, which no one can do for us! Our label works on less immediate targets but certainly the most important, such as promotional campaigns abroad addressing the press, the webzines and agencies to a certain level, which we could not reach with our own forces. Very intense and positive were those addressed to Germany, where our record is distributed by Soulfood / Sony BMG, beloved Scandinavia and Japan, where our labels, respectively, The Trip Records of Peter Uvén and Hydrant Music, worked in impeccably!
How do you rate the Wormholedeath and Dreamcell11? How was your collaboration with them?

Giulia: In part, I have already answered before. I can only add that, as can be intense was the work of the label, we are roughly as any underground band to the first disc.
As for the origin of our relationship, The record label were immediately enthusiastic on receiving our material, and together we developed a proposal for collaboration.

In your opinion, what was the live experience that struck you the most and I was impressed so far with the Ravenscry?

Giulia: Let's see ... There have been occasions during the tour in Scandinavia, where the audience was captivated, as if in a state of catharsis crazy, delirious bacchanalian expressing an absolute sense of freedom that only the music (and, let's face it , a little 'alcohol ...) can unleash. Difficult to give a precise date as it happened almost every night

How was your album received by the public and the critics?

Giulia: In discordantly, as expected! We have not chosen an easy road ... there are times when we, on the one hand, from the metallers pure blood, the other by the finest ears. But beyond this, it must be said that a great result was the sudden and growing interest of the public after the publication of the video for Nobody (and I do not believe that it is only because of the similarity of the protagonist with A. Hopkins ...: D). Besides the increase of German fans, English, Swedish, we have noted, in particular, an increase of contacts from South America and Russia, which pleasantly surprising given that there has been no promotion targeted at those areas ... Another surprise, the strong sales in Japan!

Which band do you dream of sharing the stage with?

Giulia: Some say that dreams are meant to stay that way ... others still faithfully trust in shooting stars, or in the first few bites of the fruits of the season ... I am in doubt, I'd rather not tell you!

Now would you like to express your personal opinion about the phenomenon of "Pay to Play", which seems to happen a lot in recent times. What is your opinion on this?

Giulia: My opinion on this issue is rather ... outraged! I'll be presumptuous, perhaps old-fashioned, but for me it is nothing short of absurd and contradictory condition of music (and, more generally, culture) is reduced to a mere commodity, in order to enrich the pockets of people who do not feel the least bit ashamed to call themselves " entrepreneurs "when it comes to music. Not to mention those who pretend to be benefactors. On the other hand, until we are convinced to make music our life, the possibility of such a compromise will always be lurking, and where in the game there really was a real possibility of a quantum leap, it is possible that, before or later, you are to give.

With regards to playing live what is on the horizon? Do you see yourselves playing at any of the festivals?

Giulia: Nothing has been arranged, but the answer to the first question I can give you some clues that are already precious .... Over and above live, I would like to take this opportunity to announce the upcoming release of the second video, which was chosen for the opening track of the album, Calliope, and in the meantime working on the new album. New album, new contamination ... ready to take them again and again.

Well Giulia, the interview ends here, wrap it up as you think best ...

Giulia: It 'was really a pleasure. Greetings to all the readers of Rockambula, with the promise of greatly exceeding, with the new album, their best expectations!


Full interview transcript with the original italian version here!

Monday, 27 August 2012

Nobody Vs Somebody #2

Sorry folks couldn't do one last week, as I was extremly busy. But this time, the band take on a heavyweight in the melodic metal world. So here is Nobody.
Clocking in now with 469,615 views. And here is this week's somebody. It is of course the one and only, and with the talent of former vocalist Roy Khan, yes it's Kamelot with the official video of The Great Pandemonium.
Falling short with 450,447 views. Which means that the Mighty Kamelot got owned by Nobody. Keep looking over your shoulders, Ravenscry are coming for ya! Stay Raven!

Saturday, 18 August 2012

Our new banner!

Ok guys here it is, pass this banner around and add it to your site ;)



Get the code!





Get the code!

Friday, 17 August 2012

Ravenscry's Embrace now airing on French web Radio!

La Grosse Radio MetalPremier French web radio station, La Grosse Radio Metal, now has Embrace on the play list! A popular radio station and webzine in France, covering the best metal out there with reviews, features, and 24/7 Radio  shooting out to a vast and growing audience. We hope that new listeners in that region and of course across the world, as the web has the power to transcend borders, will appreciate and love the Ravenscry sound.

We still have a long way to go, but the best thing we can do right now is tap in to as many regions and mediums as possible. The web really is a canvas of opportunity so remember to use it to help spread the word! Don't forget, the video clip for Calliope is out soon so we should strike whilst the iron is hot! So my fellow ravens, you know what to do! attack the web, and let's help the band reach far and wide and get noticed.

Stay Raven!