COUNT RAVEN

Release Year: 2019
Artist Origin: SWE
Style: hypnotizing epic doom heavy metal

first full-length recording [2009] since the classic era of the band with an updated line-up and decent production qualities sees this historical doom entity to come back with pure triumph, digging real deep into the essential captivating formulas of the epic genre, nailing more than a few memorable, engaging tunes with a long lasting effect, where the opening The Poltergeist draws in with a bleak atmosphere, A Lifetime unfolds in a monumental, ceremonial manner, and To Kill a Child strikes with heavy subject matter and dramatic climax, uniting heavy, slow-moving riffs with mesmerizing vibes, blending heavy, slow riffs with haunting harmonies, complemented by Dan Fondelius’ trademark emotive, raspy vocals, exploring themes of existential despair, social decay, and inner turmoil in the lyrics that add an extra layer of emotional depth to the revelation-like longplay; recent Swedish three panel digipak edition comes with Wolfmoon bonus from the same session, also used for split EP, marks ten year anniversary of the album