RAVENOUS E.H – Hubris

Labor improbus vincit omnia

The worthy inheritors of Blind Guardian tradition of Power Speed Metal, inspired by stories of glory and decadence, are not from Germany but Canada. Hubris is Ravenous’ second album, yet another effort born from the stress of the lockdowns. Hubris refers to the concept inherited from Greek mythology, describing the excessive pride, that often leads to the ruin of the hero (It’s time to dive back into Greek epics and chronicles of Ancient Rome). One can then wonder: does Ravenous show excessive pride in their newest album?
The answer is no: Hubris is a Power Metal masterpiece from start to finish with smashing riffs, an innate sense of melodies and, with something rare enough to be highlighted, inspired lyrics.

Audentes fortuna juvat

From ancient Roman history to German poetry and animes, Ravenous draws its inspiration from various cultural backgrounds, and distil them in their music, retaining this variety and originality. Though the epic register is a leading thread, they manage to infuse every song on the album with a different atmosphere, while keeping it coherent and original. With this album, Ravenous has found its true sound, and it is not like anything you have heard before.

“Carnage in Carthage” is a great opener for the album as they lose no time in redundant orchestral introduction. With “Bridgeburner” shows their mastery in mixing the epic and the tragic: the chorus is effortlessly built for singing along. Something to be noted throughout the album: besides the evident composition skills, the interpretation is spot on. No doubt, these anthems would kill on a stage. “Onwards&Upward” is not a traditional ballad yet it fits in perfectly and allows a pause in the album. “The Alder Queen” brings a surprising feminine twist to Goethe’s story of the Erlkönig. They draw more inspiration in the poet’s work with the ten minutes long epic “… Of Faust and Beasts”, with guitar soli (and a choir of frogs?) to content even the pickiest.

The composition of Hubris is dense, sometimes difficult to approach, but always brimming with ideas and embellishments. A great album of Power Metal, and even more.