INFOS : webzine@femmemetalwebzine.net
Webzine dedicated to the metal band fronted by girls. We also like ambient,darkwave,rock & electronic music.
INFOS : webzine@femmemetalwebzine.net
Webzine dedicated to the metal band fronted by girls. We also like ambient,darkwave,rock & electronic music.
Label : Wormhole Death Records/Dreamcell 11/Aural Music
Review by Tony Cannella
Italy’s Ravenscry already made a great first impression in 2009 with the release of their debut 5-song EP. The band has now returned with their first full-length album “One Way Out”. Fans who were lucky enough to grab a copy of their initial EP will notice that all of those songs appear on “One Way Out” in re-recorded form. Ravenscry brings a modern metal sound with loads of melody throughout the 50-minute disc. The opening track “Calliope” comes out of the gates like a shot and is a great, adrenalized first tune. Giulia’s vocals are right up front and her style is instantly recognizable. “Elements Dance” begins with a slower tempo, before really speeding up settling into a nice groove. “Nobody” and “A Starless Night” keeps the momentum going. The “Redemption” trilogy is perhaps the albums center piece with “Rainy”, “Reflection” and “Far Away”. “Embrace”, “Journey” and “Back to Hell” are all huge highlights and help to maintain the consistency that Ravenscry delivers on “One Way Out”. If Ravenscry first EP was just an appetizer, than “One Way Out” is a full course meal. “One Way Out” is a good album that more than realizes the promise that their debut exhibited.
Rating - 85/100
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Interview by Miriam “NocturnalConcerto”
Transcripted by Luisa Mercier
I’m not only a chief editor and sometimes (for the truth the most of times) as a fan I discover some pretty local acts that really deserve some kick ass promotion. So I met sometime ago in person with Cecilia Petrini and Alex Vescovi, respectively singer and drummer from the Italian symphonic heavy metal band Sinheresy for know more about the band and let you know more about them, happens that I’ve seen already live one time and the guys totally kick asses. So let’s give the word to Cecilia and Alex.
First of all, thanks for your kindness. Let’s start talking about the history of Sinheresy, how and when the band started in order to introduce yourself to our audience.
Cecilia : Well, Sinheresy was born in Summer 2009 as an idea of our bass player and our guitarist, Lorenzo and Davide. Soon I joined them as female singer and in August, through ads on newspapers, we found Alex, the drummer. Shortly after, Stefano joined us as male singer. In 2010, we prepared our repertoire as Nightwish cover band and tried to play as many shows were possible in order to become well-known in the area where we live. At the end of 2010, we started to write our own things and recorded a promo cd for the clubs and pubs. In 2011 we wrote and recorded our first EP.
As far as the EP is concerned, can you describe us the process of songwriting and recording, how the cover was concerned and which are the concepts behind the lyrics?
Alex : Most of the songs were written by our guitar player, who composed the riffs and then, during reharsals, drums and bass were added. The singers tried to make out vocal lines, while listening to the melodies. The guitarist recorded his parts and then the bass player added the drums and wrote the music for the keyboards. Cecilia wrote the lyrics and vocal lines and then we recorded some demos at home to check how everything sounded. We recorded in a studio in Ravenna called Studio 73. We chose this studio because my drum teacher, Paolo Crimi, recorded there with his band, Extrema and advised us to do the same. He also point out to Davide Nadalin as cover designer. He already created cover artworks for Vision Divine, Extrema and books publishers. A friend of ours draw the first draft of the cover and then Davide realized the actual artwork. In June we recorded the drums in four days, then we went back in July and finished the recordings. Bass and keyboards were recorded back at home. After the cover artwork was finished, we printed and released the record.
Cecilia : I write the lyrics and they are inspired by my personal experiences, by the relationships I have with people who are close to me. I am inspired by negative feelings, so writing is a kind of exorcism. I write when I feel sad, angry, delusional, powerless, lost. Sometimes I like to be more hopeful too, for example in “The Spiders and the Butterfly” and “When Darkness Falls”.
The title of the album “The Spiders and Tìthe Butterfly” sums up the concept of the lyrics or was chosen by chance?
Cecilia : It sums up the whole meaning of the album. The spiders are a metaphor for all the bad things that surround us, but there are also beautiful things which bring hope, like a butterfly.
I know you also play live shows in Slovenia. What are the main differences between Italy and Slovenia, what would you change?
Alex : The main difference is the audience. In Slovenia we have much more audience than in Italy and it’s much louder than in Italy where people just stand still, watching us playing. People have much more fun in Slovenia and it is more rewarding also for the band. Our most successful concert has been the one in Nova Gorica, we had about 100 people in the audience and they also paid to see us. In Italy people at our gigs are almost all our friends and relatives, while in Slovenia are totally unknown people. Slovenia is poorer than Italy, so they cannot pay us 200-250 euros per evening. But we also had two shows in a row in Ljubljana where we were treated really well and we had a kind of tour atmosphere around us. I handle the relations management with the owners of pubs and clubs and I have to say that in Italy they never answer e-mails or the phone while in Slovenia sooner or later they will give you a slot to play. In Trieste and Gorizia is really difficult to play, even though we come from Trieste, we never had a live show there.
But I know that there is a pub called Marillion in Trieste…
Alex : You can’t play metal there. It is too small, we could never fit in that place.
I have noticed that pubs and clubs prefer tribute bands rather than bands who play their own songs. Is it true?
Alex : I have always thought that it is good that tribut bands exist, but it is not fair that they tour around Europe. It is not fair that they get to play around the continent while a band that writes its own thing is not even able to play in its own city. Clubs owners prefer tribute bands because they attract more audience, but it depends on the music you play. You cannot play Dimmu Borgir cover songs, you have to play Italian music for the Italian audience.
I think that this creates a difficult situation for bands like yours who have just started…
Alex : I understand them because they cannot risk to earn less than they have to pay us and tribute bands assure good profits. We should reach a compromise. There are certain clubs which have their own devoted audience and they host a gig every week, knowing that the place will always be full and there are other clubs which rarely host shows and never promote them in the right way, so nobody will come at the gig.
I think that in Italy, the buildings suitable for hosting metal/rock gigs are missing. I know that in Switzerland, The Netherlands everything is different and well-organized…
Alex : I know a Swiss guy who told me that there audience always pays to get in and owners never ask how much audience you will bring with you. Audience is always quite significant.
I know this place in Switzerland, the Z7, where bands of medium importants like Epica, Doro, etc. play there and it very neat, well organized, cannot be compared to the ones in Italy.
Alex : I know that some clubs in Switzerland will even offer you a place where to sleep.
That’s quite a good thing if you have not a tour-bus to sleep in. What are you planning for the near future?
Cecilia : We are going to play live in Postumia and then we will promote our EP, sending it to labels and booking agencies and of course on-line on social-networks and webzines.
I know you were a Nightwish cover band, so which are your main influences?
Alex : We have different influences. The guitar player (Lorenzo) is influenced by bands like Symphony X, the bass player (Davide) is more power metal influenced; he listens to a lot of power and gothic metal, I am a sort of a compromise. I’d say that the faster the better, but if slower is good for the balance of the track, I’ll be slower. The male singer (Stefano) listens to every kind of music, from dance to metal. He has not focused on a particular kind of music yet.
Cecilia : I love System of a Down, but when I write for the band I already have the track, so I have to choose what will fit the song. I don’t have to pick based on my musical taste only. I have to be coherent with the instrumental track.
Alex : She can’t (laughing)
Cecilia : Sometimes happened, but most of the time the track was already very good when I got it.
We are at the end of the interview: it’s been a pleasure to interview you and to promote your work, especially because you are a talented Italian band!
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Independent Release
Review By Tony Cannella
From Milano, Italy comes Ravenscry. The band have just issued their independently released debut EP and it features 5-songs and 24-minutes worth of well played and written rock/metal with a definite melodic edge to the songs. The band is fronted by the vocals of Giulia Stefani. Having never heard Ravenscry before, I have to say that I was very enthusiastic after listening to their (all too short) debut effort. “Nobody” kicks things off and it begins with electronic sounds before the song really gets going. The vocals of Giulia are quite impressive, I’m not sure if you could label her an operatic singer, but her voice is very diversified and she has an excellent range and style. “Nobody” is a strong opener that is indicative of what to expect. The next song is “Calliope” and it opens with a heavier riff, but the style of the song is mid-tempo while still maintaining it’s heaviness. This is one my favorite tracks. The final three songs are divided up into three parts “Redemption I - Rainy” is part one of the trilogy. The track begins with pretty sounding piano as Giulia’s voice comes in. This is a pretty good track that shows off a different side to the band and it is a strong ballad that has plenty of atmosphere to go along with it and Giulia’s vocals are sensitive on this one. That leads into the orchestral instrumental “Redemption II - Reflection” and the final number “Redemption III - Far Away” ends the CD on a grand epic scale. Ravenscry are another solid band to come out of Italy. The songs are well done and there is really nothing bad to say about this band other than the length (or lack thereof) of the CD, but still, any criticism would be simply nitpicking. If you like good music where talent and songs go hand-in-hand than give Ravenscry a chance. The CD is a solid debut that features some surprises (such as the orchestral instrumental) and the songs display a boldness and confidence that is rare for such a young band.
Rating - 85/100
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Label : Deadsun Records
Review by Nina Sky
Rating - 100/100
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