Ravenous and his “eternal hunger”
Heavy anthems from a time when Metal was still hungry…
Hi Ravenous! How are you? Nice to be able to interview you.
How did the pandemic take you?
It was terrible! Luckily we managed to write and release a new album during that time so here’s hoping the worst is behind us and there’s nothing but good drinks, good food, and good times with our fans in the future!
According to your bio the band was created in 2016, so it’s already 5 years since it was created. How did the idea of creating the band come up?
The band came together in 2016 as R. A. Voltaire’s “brainchild” after backpacking across Europe to several festivals and feeling inspired — the idea was to blend the best parts of Thrash/Speed Metal (fast crushing riffs), Power Metal (soaring vocals and catchy choruses), Black Metal (raw aggression and blast beats!) and Progressive Metal (songs that aren’t boring and structured like every other band) into anthemic Metal bangers that Power Metal enthusiasts and those unfamiliar to the genre could enjoy. We would describe our music in five words- Canadian Symphonic Speed Metal, eh?
Who are its current members?
R. A. Voltaire- Vocals
Jake Wright- Guitars
Skyler Mills -Guitars
Chris Valax -Bass
Dave Crnkovic -Drums
What would you mention as your main influences?
Blind Guardian, Unleash the Archers, Sabaton, Powerwolf, and Falconer.
Let’s talk about “Hubris”; your most recent musical work that was just released last October 22nd. How was the editing and recording process?
Long! Our singer R. A. Voltaire (RAV for short) took the time during the pandemic to up skill his recording process so we managed to record it ourselves, then sent it off to legendary producer Fredrik Nordstrom for mixing and mastering — the result is a product we are very happy with and proud to share with everyone around the world.
How many songs does it include and what is it about?
10 songs on the regular edition and 12 songs on the Japanese limited edition disc.
Lyrically, the album tells 10 stories from various sources all surrounding Hubris, the notion of arrogance and the hunger for power, resulting in the demise of the story’s main characters — beneath the surface, hidden messages are scattered throughout various lyrical lines that pertain to the band’s real-life experiences.
Musically, the album is the marriage of European Anthemic Power Metal and American Speed Metal, with a penchant for speed and aggression accentuating the dynamics of the music. The casual Power Metal listener will be satisfied with a tight album chock full of catchy hooks and fun themes, while those that dive deeper into the album will discover the hidden layers; appreciating both the subtleties in the songs and the density and ambition of the project as a whole.
Do you have any guests on this album?
Heinrich Yoshio and Vincent Jones of Aether Realm
Nina Osegueda of A Sound of Thunder
All of The Dread Crew of Oddwood
And Mathias Blad of Falconer!
Any audio-visual material?
First Single (Die 1,000 Deaths):
Second Single (Astral Elixir):
Prior to the release of the album, you performed two live shows to promote it, one of them resulting in the recording of a DVD. Could you comment on both presentations?
The first of the two shows had some technical difficulties, as was expected after not playing for 2 years (last show was our 2019 tour with Alestorm and Aephanemer) but it went well! Both shows were packed with friendly Metalheads excited to be back at a concert — the energy was unforgettable!
How did you feel when you returned to the stage after the break due to the pandemic?
Nervous — no amount of practice can make up for the energy of the crowd, but as soon as we stepped on stage the nerves melted away and we were left with nothing but pure bliss and joy, sharing our music with the world. Nothing will ever beat the feeling of watching hundreds of Metal heads beat each other up at 200bpm while singing along to music you created.
How was the reaction of the public and the press?
The public has been very receptive to our album and our shows, stating that the energy of the show was revitalizing and that the album is a great evolution of the band’s sound.
The press has been mixed — some reviewers stating it’s the best Power Metal album of the year, and others hating it simply because there is a ballad on the album. We strive to be polarizing and non-generic in our work so all-in-all we see these varied reviews as a sign of success!
As I said, from one of these presentations you recorded a live DVD. Can you give us details about it?
We are currently working on the technical of the DVD and sadly, do not have any details or a release date available at this time.
Where is it possible to obtain a copy and in what formats is it available?
The album is available digitally on all streaming services, physical CDs are available on our website and bandcamp pages, and unfortunately due to COVID the pressing plants were backed up so we could not get vinyl in time for the release.
I noticed that from this album you made an animated song in English and Japanese version, I mean “Die 1000 Deaths”. Is this related to the Japanese version of the album?
Yes, this is a song we wanted to create both in English, and in Japanese on the limited edition of the CD for our fans in Japan..
Is this version very different from the original?
The song is the same, but sung in Japanese!
What anime was the basis for the creation of the video?
The video is based on the Street Fighter video game series — specifically the character Akuma.
Back to the band. What are the most immediate plans?
Do you already have the band’s next shows planned?
At the time of this interview…
We have a one-off show with our friends in Unleash the Archers for a historic Canadian venue’s anniversary
We also announced the Hyperspace Metal Festival in Western Canada for 2022
We have several music videos and online content lined up, and our hope is to focus on festival appearances in 2022, then begin writing “Ravenous 3”!
Ravenous online:
https://www.instagram.com/ravenouseternalhunger/
Track Listing:
1. Carnage in Carthage (4:37)
2. Astral Elixir (5:16)
3. Son of Storms (4:33)
4. Die 1000 Deaths (5:24) (3rd Guitar Solo by Heinrich Yoshio of Aether Realm)
5. Bridgeburner (6:10)
6. The Alder Queen (3:17) (ft. Lead Vocals by Nina Osegueda of A Sound of Thunder)
7. March of Hunger (4:47)
8. Claw is the Law (5:24) (ft. Lead Vocals, Accordion, Mandolin, and Gang Vocals by The Dread Crew of Oddwood)
9. Onwards & Upwards (4:09) (ft. Lead Vocals by Mathias Blad of Falconer)
10. …Of Beasts and Faust (10:21) (ft. Lead Vocals by Vincent Jones of Aether Realm)
Total Length 53:57
Japanese Version Exclusives
11. Cakaw Te Partiro (Bonus) — 3:13
12. 一瞬千撃 (Bonus) — 5:25
Total Length 62:34
