RAVAGE – The End Of Tomorrow

First things first and this little phrase has to be said – WOW!! The American Ravage, Metal Blade Records’ new baby, has delivered an Old School album that will make you shed more than a few tears, kinda like a swimming pool. It’s not just their music that cracks through the head, it’s also the aura that surrounds the album. In a world where many Metal bands ride on trends to get popular and sell more CDs and merchandise while absorbing them without a heart, Ravage turns the other cheek as they follow their true beliefs of True Metal. This notion is something of an admiration.

Ravage is not that new in the Metal world, although its members’ average age is 24. These young dudes, led by the strong front man – Alec “Al Ravage” Firicano, have been cruising since 1995. In the past 14 years, the band released several live albums, a few EPs and an album. The End Of Tomorrow comes as an answer to the modernizing Metal world and yet another album to Ravage’s record of works. The collaboration with the great label, Metal Blade Records, will surely provide these guys the right boost they need in order to be on the same line as the big boys of Metal.

The band’s essence is not complicated to recognize, True Metal was forged in the 1980s and every Metalhead, young and old, knows the true nature of Metal when it ruled back in its golden days. Ravage sees Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Overkill, Exodus, Slayer and Testament as their top leading heroes of that great era that so many artists in Metal pray for the day it’s spirit will return to reign the Metal scenes worldwide. As Judas Priest chanted in it’s 1988’s supreme hit , “I’m A Rocker, – I’m A Rocker and no one can take that away / I couldn’t ever get enough / It’s something in my blood”. In the case of Ravage’s new killer, this saying is absolute.

After the band’s last EP , Freedom Fighter , it was as if Ravage made a promise to their fans and listeners. They promised power, energy, 80’s influenced Metal and diverse music. When The End Of Tomorrow was unveiled, it immediately ruled that the metaphoric promise was kept. The Freedom Fighter EP turned up to be a small teaser of the mightiness of The End Of Tomorrow and it kept the band’s followers in a crude suspense. Well folks, the suspense and waiting were worth it – big time worth it. The other musical compositions, besides the ones displayed on Freedom Fighter, are no less than the EP. The combination of the new tracks with the ones on the EP became an energetic hit machine.

While looking at the aspects of the so-called “Promise” made by Ravage, one will notice the courses of Heavy / Power / Thrash Metal flowing side by side. These three old, longstanding and yet important sub-genres of Metal helped Ravage achieve a high level of lyrics and music writing. The music presented is sometimes like a kick in the groin and it chops and shreds as the Nightcrawler’s claws, the solos and main riffs are one of the best heard and performed without even a simple intent on taking steps on being innovative by their composers. Alongside and above the musicians’ skills and performance, there is the strong production that continues the same vigorous top of the line work that emblazoned Freedom Fighter.

It is hard to point out highlights because the whole release is a mega load of killing hits. Ravage offers you an album with songs that cover the classic big three sub-genres of Metal, so try to be as open as you can for this experience and your pleasure is guaranteed. Nevertheless , here is the load out of the top of the top – “End Of Tomorrow” , “Grapes Of Wrath” , “Freedom Fighter” , “The Shredder” , “Reign Fall” and “The Nightmare’s Hold” which contains three tracks – two of them are small ones that serve as intro and outro and the middle track is a wonderful cover work for Judas Priest’s classic tune , “Nightcrawler” (even if Al Ravage is not Halford but rather a Dickinson , he still does great).

Don’t hesitate even for a moment if you get a hold of this album, go right ahead and take it because it’s a classic of Old School Metal to be kept and maintained under good hands.