GHOSTLY AERIE COVEN is an Italian Black Metal band that formed some three years ago.  Now signed to Vacula Productions, they have released their debut, "Bird of Prey".  Read on to find out whether the band has what it takes to truly stand out in an oversaturated scene.

"Inner Spirit Unchained" kicks this album off.  Immediately, there is a deluge of jagged Black Metal riffs as the music shifts and sways like an old iron bridge from a century ago.  What GHOSTLY AERIE COVEN manage to do is blend a more brutal approach with plenty of melody.  One would be mistaken in thinking of this album as an easy listen, though, for it is certainly rough around the edges.  Polish, it seems, remains aloof for this group.

"Ode to the Evening Star," the second track, rambles along at a bit more of a consistent pace than the song preceding it.  While the melodies are definitely more compelling, the vocals become ingratiating as the song progresses.  One almost has to question the purpose of having vocals if they only serve to obnoxiously bark like the dog left chained in the backyard.  Nonetheless, there is a pressing need for diversity in the vocals.

In terms of production, the album is about as polished as one may expect having read thus far.  There are moments where a ray of light shines on a spot to illuminate one of the more poignant attempts at riff-writing, yet those moments are few and far between.  It sounds as though the band settled into this recording regardless of whether it stands up to other albums or as an accurate representation of their creative vision.  Cluttered would be an appropriate word here and there is a considerable lack of consistency when it comes to each instrument's performance.

As the record plays on, things unfortunately do not improve.  Fourth track, "Nyctophilia," an attempt at an epic anthem, falls flat as does its predecessor, "Rhyme of the Crimson Monarch".  The bottom line is this:  in an era when almost anyone can afford a home recording setup capable of creating near-perfect music, there is really no excuse for an album this sloppy to be released.  I cannot recommend this under any circumstances.