Coming off the heels of their debut full-length release, "Chapter One: The Principles" (which had already secured them a noteworthy spot on the map back in 2014) RED RAVEN of Germany have released a monster of an epic Heavy Metal album. "Chapter Two: DigitHell" is sure to please fans and newcomers alike, exhibiting a much more mature and explorative side to the band. The sound varies so much that comparisons are hard to draw, but one can definitely hear the influences of such artists as SKID ROW, DIO, QUEENSRYCHE and JOURNEY. It's always satisfying to hear a band take such a well-known sound and then expand upon it exponentially to the point that one loses sense of genre track by track, and RED RAVEN has achieved exactly that result with this highly listenable record.

The album's first two full tracks, "Collapse" and "Dance With A Freak", literally burst at the seams with groove and head-bopping goodness, instantaneously alerting the listener to the fact that RED RAVEN are not here to waste anyone's time with overplayed riffs or melodramatic antics. Those who love arena Rock that teeters more towards the heavier side of things will definitely appreciate what is being done here. A familiar sound becomes a completely new experience all at once, as the rich power chords drip like thick honey atop an ever-flowing rhythm and bass dance. Frank Beck's vocals are powerful and piercing, making them the perfect compliment to RED RAVEN's music as they swirl around it effortlessly. The outcome is quite simply a finished product that delivers, no questions asked.

There are no preservatives used in the meat of this musical sandwich, and it shows. The album exists solely to display learned musicianship, engaging song structures, and well-written lyrics throughout. While it can be said that the diverse array of genres contained herein have been displayed countless times throughout history, it is impossible to declare that one has heard all of them represented so thoroughly, and with such accuracy, all spun together on a single record. This is what makes RED RAVEN's "Chapter Two: DigitHell" so special and unique. It is a wondrous thing when a band can take the recognizable and formulated, and turn it into something pleasurable that has an undeniably high level of replay value; such an unfathomable feat has indeed been achieved with the creation of this album.

The record ends on a somewhat sombre note with the power ballad "Until The End Of Time". This song, whilst showing itself as a tender and loving tune, proves later to be a heart-wrenching journey into the despair of losing a very important friend far too early in life. The lyrics just cut to the core, allowing the listener to live - if only for a superficial moment - deep within the writer's hurt and longing for a world where things had been able to turn out differently. It is this, and so much more, that combine to make "Chapter Two: DigitHell" by Red Raven a solid album that will be most welcome on anyone's playlist who possesses a real appreciation for quality Hard Rock/Heavy Metal. Happy headbanging!