When dealing with Black Metal, there are two clear ways coexisting: the one where bands are professional and know how to deal with their music, and to be famous is not a sin for their members; and the other, with deep roots on the beliefs used on the 90's, when a great part of the bands didn't care to expend their existence completely unknown for a greater public. On this second one is REVENANT MARQUIS, a one man band (or it seems so) from UK, and their latest release, "Youth in Ribbons", is a fine example of what Black Metal used to be on the first half of the 90's.

The album's music is what was used to call as Raw Black Metal. It is dirty, aggressive, but done with a crude organic feeling that can take the mind of the listener back in time, when Black Metal became exposed due the burning of churches in Norway. But the band uses a deeper melancholic feeling in some parts that could be labeled as Depressive Black Metal (if the album's Old School musical roots were not so evident). It's darkened charming and really good. Although the good musical stuff on the songs of "Youth in Ribbons", unfortunately it was recorded in a very raw way, raw beyond the right point, and it can sound in a way that senses can't understand it as the album deserves, because the drums are excessively loud, and the guitars are sounding too low. And it's a pity, because musically, it has a lot to offer.

The aggressive and raw "Ephebiphobia", the excellent rhythmic work and funereal ambiance of "Ephebophilic Wraith" and of "Grave Lit Transmogrification", the explosive aggressiveness and fast tempos of "Ysgol",the darkened morbid ambiance of "Taskermilward" and of "Propagator of an Unspeakable Incestuous Coven" are very good songs, but damaged by the putrid sound quality. And this album was really a promising one. The idea of REVENANT MARQUIS to be true with Black Metal roots shown on "Youth in Ribbons" is really good, but a cleaner sound quality (in the vein DARKTHRONE used on "Under a Funeral Moon") will make the band's music better to everyone, including its fans.