Thy Raventhrone
End
Atmospheric Metal from Finland
Fast guitars and blastbeats, folky melodies and epic atmospheres
What would I say about my own work? Intention was to be operatic like Bal-Sagoth, and still as epic as Equilibrium, folky melodies and atmospheric in general.
Like one of my friends said: "roughly mix of Summoning & Ensiferum" had to agree...
Sorrow Eternal / Darrel Carey wrote:
It's not hard to see why people would like the music of Thy Raventhrone. There is a mystery about the music, a magical quality that would surely leave many, like myself, scratching their heads. The brainchild of Jani Kalin, this one man project from Finland isn't doing what everyone else is doing; and I doubt he would ever care to. Instead, Kalin is crafting his own version of atmospheric metal, heavy on the keyboard influence, and based around a center theme. What makes this current incarnation all the more intriguing is where it began; not geographically, but musically. His initial works in 2005, which Kalin describes as " purely Folk/Power" metal, as miles away in the rear view mirror. With this new style, he strays away from the beaten path and goes off in a direction few have walked before. His success may still be up in the air and miles further down the road, but with the new album, "End" he is well on his way to something great, even if he isn't there yet.
With the sweeping melodies that open "Desolation," you get a small taste of what could be, and perhaps what is. Joined by a quivering set of guitar strings being plucked, you have something interesting building around you. While it takes over two minutes for the track to get into its full form, the atmospheric quality of that time is not wasted. As the lightning quick snares and kicks come into view, there may be a burning desire for a change of scope. But what you hear is, in fact, what you get. There is a dream-like airiness to the backing synths and guitars, one that does bolster the main riffs. The trade off between those hazy melodies and the slamming drum work is a good one, though it doesn't seem to create any sort of advancement in the track. There is a common theme running through "Silence (Desolation Part II)," as you would expect, but the change from basic synths to the more church inspired organ sound makes all the difference. What results is a much fuller mix, one that finds a true balance rather than just a back and forth dynamic. It feels more complete, and allows for more lateral movement. But even with the added melodies and guitar work, the track length is taxing, clocking in at nearly nine minutes, while still relying on the same repeating riffs and drums. Kalin is at his best around the seven minute mark, finding a perfect harmony.
The two tracks that form the "Rapture" arc are similar to their predecessors in that they share a commonality between them, while still giving off a distinct sound. The first part stands as perhaps the most complete work on the album, despite some interesting mixing choices. rather than keep a steady hand on the levels, the synthesizers dominate around the midway point, and are quickly buried beneath a wave of distortion and drum patterns. A jovial piece of organ work in the latter stages will surely become a focal point, but the way he transitions in and out of that passage is key. Part two takes the same theme and changes the timeline noticeably, adding what sounds like a space rock edge to the mix. They are two varying takes on the same story, both centering around the machine gun drumming segments and a lone guitar melody. While they are dressed up differently, they remain very similar. But again, Kalin works a bit of magic, replacing that jaunty melody of early with a more haunting organ. "Netherdream," the shortest and not coincidentally most memorable track on the album, is a demonstration of how to make this style work. It remains ambient and flowing, without the repeating functionality. Instead, there is a structure in place that allows the track to rise and fall, while changing along the way. It feels far more organic than the rest, as if the track truly wrote itself.
There is something otherworldly about what Jani Kalin is doing with this project; something that will draw us back time and time again to see what he'll do next. But for now, with an EP and this album as the markers, there are questions left unanswered. While it could be said that there is nothing inherently wrong with the tracks as they were written and recorded, it seems as though the length is their greatest enemy, relying too much on reused pieces to pad out tremendous run times. If the first four tracks were shorter, would it negatively effect the finished product? That distinction, of course, is up to each individual listener to determine. From a musical standpoint, Kalin does create some magnificent soundscapes, thanks to his varying use of keyboards. But only time will tell if that will be enough to pad out another full length album, or if he will have to shorter the leash, and go for a more succinct output. At any rate, "End" is certainly not what the name indicates. There has to be more.
7/10
So, what others say:
"This is fucking sick!"
"I am looking forward to hearing more. Hails to Scandinavian Metal."
"I very much like what you have made and look forward to more!"
"You're creating some interesting stuff"
"Love it"
"it's got killer potential. Keep it up! "
01. Desolation 07:57
02. Silence (Desolation Part II) 08:50
03. Rapture Part I 07:18
04. Rapture Part II 07:52
05. Netherdream 05:41
Total Playing Time: 37:38
Metal Gallows / shri.ace13 wrote:
What is it about the Finns? Whatever they touch, it turns grand and melodic. I can safely say that the majority of music coming out of Finland, have this very melodic and very epic feel to them. It has got to do something with the Finnish landscape, filled with beautiful forests, majestic hills, the northern European climate etc. So it really comes as no surprise that the music made by inhabitants of such a awe inspiring place, sounds so beautiful. Speaking of Finnish melodic metal, Thy Raventhrone has the very same formula, containing ingredients of melody, grandeur and atmosphere.
Thy Raventhrone is the brainchild of Jani Kalin. A one man project out of Salo, Finland, Thy Raventhrone features a brand of instrumental Atmospheric Metal with a huge serving of melody. End is Kalin's second release, after Netherdream EP (a promo for one of the songs from this album) which was released earlier this year.
Speaking of the album, it is a fine example of how various tweaks can be added to one single idea, and how a variety of results can be achieved from that. The album is entirely built up from a single tune, with Kalin adding a variety of melodic leads and a variety of instrumentation to that one tune. This is not a bad thing at all, as the number of elements added to the tune makes for a very interesting listen.
The atmosphere is the main hero here, as it is the atmosphere that carries the entire album. Layers upon layers are built up on this atmosphere. The music itself is so intriguing and deep that it is highly possible for the listener to get lost among these layers.
As like the trademark of any music from Finland, this album too has that melody and epic quality. Usage of a variety of instruments like keyboards, electric guitars, church organs etc. makes this a venture bathed in grandeur. The drumming nicely complements everything going on around it, without taking the attention away from the main act, that being the atmosphere and melody.
Though the entire album is built up from one single tune, it does not take away the feeling of enigma even upon repeated listens. What this album achieves, is to take the listener on a weird, yet beautifully melodic trip, into the vast layers of its music.
Though the album is divided into five tracks, it does not feel that way at all. The overall experience, feels like one massive orchestration, with the atmosphere taking the lead. End by Thy Raventhrone, contrary to the name, is the just the beginning of a very grand scheme.
/ XBTT (1) by Dejavu
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