Rave the Reqviem return with their second heavy guitar laden industrial record and it’s quite frankly an absolute blast from start to finish. They incorporate favourite elements from a multitude of genres and blend them seamlessly into an ultramodern sound. Following on from their eponymous first album, The Gospel of Nil is a treat to behold.
Fusing the dark elements of gothic trance with the definitive hardiness of heavy metal, Rave the Reqviem utilize the cliches of both styles with symphonic zeal. Creating a unique type of industrial that’s both familiar and fresh while maneuvering their dirty great big guitar sound through a landscape populated by thumping drum and bass hits and with ethereal leads and soured psychotropic arpeggios.
The Gospel of Nil is a very comprehensive album where the lyrics are delivered elegantly from The Holy Mother (Carola Lönnqvist) and with both a growling deep echo and a processed cyber sound from The Holy Prophet (Filip Lönnqvist.) Together they transpose the meaning on to the music of the songs with a dichotomy of clemency and aggression while its narrative content provides thought provoking contemplation. It’s synergy like this, and it doesn’t stop there, that makes this album such a sweet record.
The dynamic range of the instruments associated with the respective genres becomes apparent when involved in orchestrating ass-kicking hooks and the band have crafted a suitable nest for their co-habitation. Giving each instrument a space that compliments the other to dramatic aplomb within the overall mix. Yet what really stands out aside from the polarity of vocal styles are the rhythmic guitars that guide the structure of the songs.
As the second album from the Kalmar (Sweden) based quintet the progressive and encouraging sound takes much from their first offering. Similar in dark and grand overtones this unholy union of men and machines is rife with attention grabbing choruses and some good old head banging riffs. With fantastic programming coupled with beautiful synth work and gritty rhythmical bearings from the guitars and vocals this is a cornucopia of fragrant muse.
8/10
