Raventale has been a steadfast voice in the
Ukrainian black metal underground since the mid-2000s, carrying the vision of Astaroth Merc, who has always worked as a one-man
force. Across nearly two decades, the project has moved through pagan
atmospheres, depressive shades, and symphonic landscapes, gradually refining a
style that is both cinematic and aggressive. With “CDXXXII Thousand Years Of
Crime And Murders”, Raventale delivers an
album steeped in the eternal cycle of violence, corruption, and destruction
that has followed humanity throughout history.
The music
here is wide in scope. On one hand, the listener is hit with fast, aggressive
black metal riffing, blasts that thunder like artillery, and cold harsh vocals
that tear through the mix. On the other, there are atmospheric layers,
symphonic flourishes, and passages that feel almost ritualistic in how they
pull the pace down to something reflective and monumental. This tension gives
the album a striking ebb and flow, a sense of grandeur paired with cruelty.
Production
is sharp and balanced, letting the aggression cut through while the symphonic
elements expand without suffocating. There’s a constant interplay between chaos
and solemnity, creating a listening cinematic experience, like watching
history’s most violent chapters unfold through music.
“CDXXXII Thousand Years Of Crime And Murders” is a meditation on violence, futility, and the decay of civilizations. At the same time, it offers beauty in the way it captures those themes musically. Fans of late-90s atmospheric and symphonic black metal, especially albums like “Spiritual Black Dimensions”, will find something familiar, but this album is no copy. It breathes Raventale’s own identity, dark and imposing. This album demands full attention, and in return, it gives a powerful journey through sound and vision. Raventale continues to prove that one mind can craft something vast, punishing, and memorable.
Score:
8.5
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