From The Depths
JONO MUSIC
Sweden’s groove metal newbies hit the ground running
Experience generally bests youth in heavy metal, but these aspiring Swedes already sound like old hands. From The Depths is an enjoyably straightforward and vigorous debut, with a large and unapologetic debt to Lamb Of God and Pantera, but filtered through the last decadeand-a-half of hybridised subgenres. The result is a fervently modern take on mainstream metal, with songs that feel genuinely crafted to hit the spot in the same way that those chief influences do (and did). Opener proper Foul Deeds and the absurdly catchy False Conjunction are fine examples of the Jönköping quintet’s precocious mastery of this stuff, striking a wise balance between muscularity, melody and inciting circlepits. It seems that Ravened also have depths yet to be explored - the seven-minute Denial is a claustrophobic but riveting slow-burner. A smart and sharp first foray.