Italian melodic Black / Death Metal newcomers RAVENSTORM unleash their first EP, titled "INFERNUM". RAVENSTORM begun activity in 2014, yet it's obvious from the get go that these guys are strongly influenced by the traditional extreme Metal giants and none of what's in here should come as a surprise if you know your way around Melodic Black Metal.

"The Forest King" will grab your attention fast, with its constant riff changes, strong moods and a very catchy hook. Even the vocals change styles a lot and between all the low grunting, old-Burzumish-like tortured screams of pain and a strong shriek, the forest king is a very engaging song and an overall banger. On with another acoustic transition, "Desperandum" is a melancholic tune that flows well and sets some more atmosphere.

"God Of Nothing" jumps right to it and highlights, maybe, the musicians' roots with some IRON MAIDEN vibes. Traditional heaviness follows fast, then some nasty grooves to ease the mood, bringing in howling guitar riffs and fast tremolo picking giving life to the sort of dark melodies RAVENSTORM uses as their bread and butter. The song then blends another acoustic part with clean singing before exploding into the final crescendo. And then, yes, you've guessed it, a short (though, tasteful) acoustic lick that finishes off the song.

Overall the acoustic parts are not overplayed or tiring, but I would dare say they come close. Next filler is another acoustic, "Mortem", which doesn't offer much other than being nice. "Sensucht" is another full length song, blending heavy with epic and it's well written and rich textures accompanied with a strong melody give room for a smashing, strong performance. RAVENSTORM also shot a video for the song and the rawness and attitude of it is actually quite fun and absorbs the viewerlistener rapidly. Anyhow, "Sensucht" is a great song and it made me feel as if I was listening to some mix of early ROTTING CHRIST or MARDUK even.

I personally really like the recording sound, especially for the drums, where it feels like a big nod to more traditional metal and old-school artists. My only complaint is that this EP is stacked to the brim with pointless acoustic interludes. If that's your thing, you might find these entertaining and soothing. Not saying they're bad, just not real attention grabbers and they offer nothing new. Never the less, the EP delivers a stellar performance and should RAVENSTORM keep pursuing their vision and sound, the future could very well be promising to these young musicians.