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Monday, June 23, 2014

Corvus - Never Forget


Corvus – Never Forget
2013, Corvus


The Band
Corvus is one of the most prolific American metal bands of the last five years, completing six full-length albums in that time.  Heavy guitar riffs, melodic solos, pounding rhythms and deep melodies have blended with an electric live show to charge up fans across the U.S., and have led to tours with Trapt, Mushroomhead, American Head Charge and Hed P.E.  The lineup includes:
Brock Brown – vocals
Josh Brown – bass
(v)att(v)an – electric guitar
DH – drums
Isadora Bevins – electric guitar
Sunny - keyboard

The Album
The latest effort from Corvus is Never Forget, a dynamic and powerful mix of metal and classic rock with distinctive pop undertones.

The Buzz
Corvus takes listeners on a schizophonic buzz fest across the thirteen songs on Never Forget.  Crushing guitar riffs, rapid-fire rhythms and high precision will appeal to metal fans.  The band also delves into Top-40 blends that feature hook filled choruses and even a power metal ballad or two.  The changes back and forth happen so fast at times that listeners may be subject to aural whiplash.  The guitar work is strong and the vocals are more than competent.  At the same time, Corvus seems to be trying to be too many things to too many people.

Spotlights
“Hear No See No Speak No” is a quintessential pop/metal blend, featuring big guitars, a bigger rhythm section and the screaming/chortling vocal that’s come to epitomize heavy metal music.  The band settles into smooth sailing mode with an Edge radio style chorus that totally changes the momentum of the song, but this sudden change is compelling.  “Sweet Revenge” is a delicious mix of angst and anger, contained in the bulging arrhythmia that Corvus builds around it.  “Déjà vu” is a theme song for the seriously depressed or paranoid.  The downward trajectory is represented here as inescapable.  Big powerful, powerful rhythms and an innate musicality make this a winner in spite of the compellingly dark outlook.  “Never Forget” could have been written by Dante himself: a monologue by Satan himself full of short-sighted hubris and pride.

Footlights
When Corvus is on, they are on.  But there is also a distinct push toward commercial viability on Never Forget that makes the band sound unsettled and uncertain of whom they are.  There’s nothing wrong with going for the brass ring, but the efforts here are so transparent and so different from their natural sound that the gap is glaring.

The Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

The Songs
Hear No See No Speak No
Sweet Revenge
Through Dead Eyes
Used
Soldiers On Demand
Déjà vu
Plastic Skies
My Greatest Mistake
The Spider And The Fly
Breath
Food For The Gods
Never Forget
Crucify

Where to Go

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