| The
Review |
The one thing about Tony Martin is that he is neither
underrated, nor (luckily) overrated, the guy can sing. Having
pipes comparable to both Dio and Don Dokken, Martin has always
been an excellent choice as a frontman, whether fronting Black
Sabbath, The Cage, Giuntini Project, etc. he has a track record
standing along the ranks of Glenn Hughes and Joe Lynn Turner
as being one of the greatest hard rock/metal vocalists. ***
Like many of the projects that Martin appears on, 'The
Raven Ride' stays true to the classic metal sound, pertaining
to the dark edge of things, hell, the record itself could
be considered 'Headless Cross Part Two;' bold words, yes,
this album is that strong. Featuring renowned bassist Neil
Murray (Black Sabbath/Whitesnake), axeman Rolf Munkes, and
drummer Andre Hilgers, the album is driven by the depth of
the crunch laden guitars along with the keyboard pads that
add the gloom riddled atmospheric flare to the album; and
even lyrically there is an expression of mysterious pastures,
so let it be heard that all the right elements are in place
here. ***
Tracks like "Satanic Curses," "What Would I Do," and
"The Devil Speak, The Sinner Cries" have the utmost of a moody
& sinister vibe to them, offering up tragic balladry and emotional
defeat while more upbeat cuts such as "Breathe," "I Can't
Trust Myself," and the title track offer the more grinding
and driving force to 'The Raven Ride.' The latest offering
from Empire is highly recommended for fans of both Tony Martin's
material & late-period Sabbath, not to mention classic melodic
heavy metal; this is one record that will not disappoint.
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