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rd, with their new label Frontiers Music. Warren Riker, the engineering brain behind Michael Jackson’s ‘Dangerous’, as well as RavenEye’s debut EP, made the move from mixer to producer here, and seems to have truly captured the band’s unique identity. Whilst previously mentioned ‘Breaking Out’ EP attracted a vast amount of critical attention, ‘Nova’ will unquestionably push the band into newer, even more exciting, territory. The very first track, ‘Wanna Feel You’, certainly packs a punch. The drumming is astounding; it truly gives the song an energy or hype that many modern bands seem to forego. From this, to Brown’s vocals, to the powerful solo at the song’s conclusion, this song is an impeccable opener. ‘Come With Me’ has an altogether more punk feel to it, and is certainly a song you can picture yourself rocking out to with the windows down on a road trip. To go along with the more punk aesthetic here, are lyrics that patently have a bad boy vibe; “I’ll only drag you underground”. This song is the one that I am really looking forward to hearing live! ‘Hero’, may well be the most lyrically powerful song on the album. Blink and you’ll miss them though, as the unique vocals and guitar work (faces may melt) serve as a wonderful distraction. The gravity of the lyrics only truly hit me during a momentary lull within this extraordinary concoction of heavy riffs. The words here are profound as well as powerful, and highlight the consequences of love and its demise on the human condition. The song then reaches a mighty crescendo and fades out beautifully, leaving you space to contemplate what you just heard. Hint: it was awesome. As the title suggests, ‘Supernova’ has gravitas. Indeed, so much so, you can imagine it being played in stadiums (sold out ones at that!). The lyric gives the song much of its poetic clout. The idea of a ‘supernova love’ is one that is infinitely appealing, because it reminds us that love is an incoherently massive concept, or at the very least, far bigger than we can ever totally understand. RavenEye manage to capture this all-consuming human emotion eloquently and beautifully, and herein lies the song’s power. This one is something special. ‘Eternity’ rounds out the album with an altogether different feel. Its acoustic beginnings allow Oli Brown’s unique vocals to stand alone in the quiet. Immediately one feels the importance of what is being said. Lyrically, the track is stunning, masterfully highlighting the stark reality of life and death. Then, whilst great care is taken to preserve the delicacy of the song, we move into the RavenEye we have known so far. The solo that follows is something exceptional. Many solos or instrumentals in music, especially within the rock genre, can seem gratuitous or egotistical. Here, this is not the case. This solo actually says something. Following the release of ‘Breaking Out’, I certainly wasn’t alone in anticipating RavenEye’s next musical move. I can safely say that it is everything that I could have ever wanted it to be, and more! Very few bands are able to push their audience as well as themselves, but RavenEye seem to have hit a home run. ‘Come With Me’ and ‘Eternity’ are two of many stand-out tracks on ‘Nova’. They are impeccably put together, as is the rest of the album, and the listener will gain a great deal from each of them. Given the reputation they are building for themselves as a captivating live band, RavenEye’s headlining tour in November will be something to behold. ‘Nova’ is released on September 23rd through Frontiers. Review: Amy Jefferies.
