Raunchy: Death Pop Romance

Raunchy from Denmark are releasing their third full-length album through their new label Lifeforce Records. The album is appropriately titled Death Pop Romance giving a good idea of its content without hearing it. I like the fact that Raunchy are aware that they're on a much different musical route than other death metal bands which focus on relentless riffage, deep and guttural vocals, and crushing rhythms.

Raunchy is basically more of a melodic metal band utilising some screamed and some raspy vocals, along with pop music sensibilities. Noted producer Jacob Hansen has injected the album a very polished and shiny mix, which should help them break in more commerical circles. The production is similar to the later day In Flames albums and could perhaps be compared to Soilwork's post-Natural Born Chaos stuff. Huge melodic choruses, sung in both clean and raspy vocals, thick guitar and bass rhythms, and boomy drum beats. Truth be told, their songs on this disc are all based on the same formula, where Kasper Thomsen spurts out semi-growled verses followed by multi-sung clean sing-along choruses. From hardcore meets metalcore type of singing on "This Legend Forever" (where the bass truly stands out) to the more synth-pop driven "Abandon Your Hope" or the electronica-laced "Remembrance", all songs feature a healthy dose of melodic key lines courtesy of Jeppe Christensen and he also experiments with darker themes underlying Jesper Tilsted and Lars Christensen's fiery rhythm guitars. Moreover, he plays a nice synth lead on the track "Persistence". The drumming by Morten Toft Hansen in the intro of "Live the Myth" and the Fear Factory type of industrial sound effects on "City of Hurt" also caught my attention.

All things considered, Raunchy's new disc is an okay melodic metal offering with plenty of pop elements. Unlike new In Flames and new Soilwork, this band doesn't claim to be the heaviest on the planet, which gives them an extra edge. This is good stuff for fans of modern metal.

Track Listing

1. This Legend Forever
2. Abandon Your Hope
3. Phantoms
4. The Curse of Bravery
5. Remembrance
6. Live the Myth
7. City of Hurt
8. Persistence
9. The Velvet Remains
10. Farewell to Devotion

Added: October 4th 2006
Reviewer: Murat Batmaz
Score:
Related Link: Raunchy website
Hits: 4132
Language: english

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