White Raven Down - 'Don't Shoot The Messenger' (Roulette)

The extended intro sequence of ‘Demons At Your Door’ gets this debut album off to an atmospheric and almost-cinematic start. Think, ‘Game Of Thrones’-esque grandeur, drama and fantasy-like soundtrack music and you get the picture. It comes as a bit of a curveball though, as this Essex four-piece clearly has more of a penchant for punchy, riff-based hard rock and metal. They waste no more time in changing pace and direction with the single, ‘Price You Pay’ really getting things going. As one of the highlights, it wouldn’t sound out of place in the likes of Zakk Wylde’s capable hands. Up next, ‘Not Alone’ offers a more bludgeoning attack, courtesy of the double-kick drum onslaught from Tom Mrazek. It would be fair to say these guys wear their influences on their collective sleeves, owing much to alternative and experimental rock. They have more than a few tricks though, largely due to the heavily-layered guitars, which weave melody with complex, harmony-laden arrangements and no small amount of blistering, solo fretwork; masterfully handled by Stu Bailey. Especially, on the frenetic, ‘Mind Reader’. The standout track, ‘All Day Long’ really sees all of those component parts come together to form an impressive, tight and focused unit, underpinned with gut-rumbling bass from Luke Chappell. Will Taylor on lead vocals really hits his stride here, coming across as the lovechild of Mike Patton and his namesake, Corey Taylor. At times though, there is a lot going on. A slightly more refined, leaner approach may have afforded some tracks greater impact but John Cornfield (Muse, Supergrass, Oasis, King Creature and Daxx and Roxanne) does a fine job with the mix and master in pulling together the many musical elements at play. Taylor digs deep into the introspective and melancholic narrative against that dense musical backdrop, with the storytelling approach best exemplified in album closer, ‘Void And Flame’, in which he employs familiar tropes. “So, this is where I go when I’ve lost my way” and, “How can I win this war, when the war is fought within? Overall, this release is a confident statement of intent and the band clearly has an abundance of drive to take this to large crowds. With that obvious hunger at its core, time will tell if this white raven will soar.