CoC : Ravenous - Phoenix : Review

Ravenous - _Phoenix_
(Metropolis Records, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (6 out of 10)

This is -not- the band Ravenous featuring Killjoy of Necrophagia, Danny Lilker of S.O.D. and Chris Reifert (ex-Autopsy/Abscess). In other words, this isn't the "necro-death metal" CD _Assembled in Blasphemy_ scheduled for release soon by Hammerheart. This band also -isn't- to be confused with the title of the new God Dethroned album _Ravenous_, accentuated by the efforts of Tony of Angel Corpse on drums. That cleared up, _Phoenix_ is a well put together mental massage of relaxed passages suitable to damn near all moods as long as those moods are calm ones. Ravenous is a relative newcomer to music, sounding at times more like a dark-laden, electro-dance mainstream Depeche Mode or Britain's Erasure than an obscurely burdened underground Peter Murphy fronted group like The Cure. Invoking images of singer Wayne Hussey from The Mission UK, Tim Fockenbrock delivers the listener a complete package with _Phoenix_. Social issues run ungoverned all through this effort; nature, relationships, daily life and religion are just a few of the topics explored on _Phoenix_. While no one song sticks out in my mind, in my opinion a fact that served only to plague Ravenous's score, all the cuts are very well done, even though moderately forgettable as a complete whole.

Contact: http://ravenous.x2.nu

(article published 20/11/2000)