Trying to be cutting edge musically is a fine thing to aim for but neither is there anything wrong with sticking to comfort zones, both are necessary elements to the music scene as a whole. The reality though is that whilst the former are off conducting brave genre splicing experiments to varying degrees of success, the latter playing it safe but not really bringing anything new to the table, the most interesting music is being forged in the middle ground. Between the safety net of established rock classicism and the forward thrust of the alt-, the nu-, the post-, genres, the perfect blends of old and new sound are being shaped into great music. It is here that you find Ravenscroft.
Ahead of their soon to be released EP The Rebel, two songs which define their sonic boundaries have been unleashed upon the unsuspecting masses, a calling card for what is to follow. The Chase is a wonderful slice of hard grooving classic rock re-imagined through a nu-metal lens and then pushed even further into the here and now to create a sound which it would be hard to imagine not finding favour with any rock fan. It is big, brutal and thunderous, back beats pound, bass lines throb and salvos of white hot, jagged guitar riffs form the perfect sound clash whilst battle cry vocals lead it all into the music fray. Denim clad old schoolers, dystopian nu-metallers, anti-fashion grungers and alt-rock warriors alike are going to be right behind it.
The flip of the coin comes from My Dearest One, a stadium ballad, a slow burning vibe, a growing dynamic and a crescendoed pay off, yes, it’s been done before, but rarely this classily, swearing the schmaltz and obvious heartstring tugging and instead finally delivering a power ballad that it is okay to like. Now that is something new.
Rock is going through some tough times. Either it is being diluted for commercial gain or brutalised into testosterone driven noise-fests beloved of impressionable teens but with little traction in the mature market. For this reason more and more people are looking to past glories to feed their rock needs, Ravenscroft give as a reason to be excited about the future again, and for that I thank them.
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