The Broken Ravens: Debut EP is an ear-pleasing triumph

The Broken Ravens have unleashed a five-track effort full of venom which hits harder than a five finger sandwich from Mike Tyson. The EP is heavier, much heavier, than a lot of the previous songs to emerge from the Ravens nest.

The bluesy rock numbers like ‘White Gold’ or ‘Pressure’ are long gone with all five tracks on their debut EP injected with growling guitars and a pace to rival Usain Bolt on a Red Bull drip.

Kicking off with ‘The Calling of The Hounds’ the boys swing into musical action with a Velvet Revolver groove, swinging guitar melodies akin to the duelling axes of Slash and Dave Kushner on Contraband.

Next comes ‘My Shrine’ which continues the new trend of the band keen to plug into the heavier end of radio friendly rock. ‘My Shrine’ sees Toby Michaels spit lyrics like Dave Mustaine who had his pint spilled over his guitar.

Already a live favourite during outings on home soil in the Hebrides it captures the band in their irresistible form.

For all its muscular bravado, bursting out with an intro full of blood and thunder, ‘To The Alter’ is a song which sees Michaels change the emotion in his voice as he croons, almost remorseful over the bone shaking guitars.

The heaviest number on the EP, and the heaviest song the Ravens have released to date, is ‘Dead Rose.’ An amp crunching, heavy mooded number but one which is as focused as it is fierce. A thundering anthem and one destined to become a live favourite and one for even the most ardent of hair swinger to give themselves a neck ache.

‘Lights Out in Vienna’ brings the EP to a close in its playfully filthy style. This song grinds into full speed following an intro which has a feel and tempo to the great Black Sabbath.

The Broken Ravens have been soaring on an upward trajectory for some time. Fresh from touching down on a prestigious support slot at the world-famous Whisky-A-Go-Go on the Sunset Strip, and a hat-trick of other shows in Los Angeles – 100 per cent self-funded like their EP. 
Twinning the heavy, grinding style of bands like Mastodon and Sabbath, Michaels sings like Scott Weiland with definite grunge leanings but he also morphs into a modern Dave Mustaine at times. The whole thing is a wonderful mish-mash of all that is good about rock and metal music.

Get it now for your stereo, car, phones, MP3 players and give your ears a treat.