Apocalyptic Rites blog

Today, Primitive Reaction sets December 4th as the international release date for the striking debut album of Finland's Valravn, Prey. An otherwise-new entity, Valravn nevertheless evince a mastery beyond their short time as a band with their first public recording, the full-length Prey. Arriving very fully formed, Valravn's debut album no doubt displays characteristics of Finland's now-world-renown black metal sound - cryogenic melody, raw 'n' rugged execution, an unapologetic assertion of traditionalism - but in other, more telling aspects, Prey asserts its own identity counter to this prevailing paradigm.

From the tranquil, tellingly autumnal acoustic opening and across comparable textures, Prey burns with the intensity of a November coming fire. But Valravn's just-revealed torch is a timeless one, resonating across all seasons and most especially the dread grasp of winter, as this year comes to a close and Prey readies to spread its wings much like its cover-art subject.

Take the first torch with the brand-new track "Throne of Blood" HERE at Primitive Reaction's Bandcamp. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Valravn (Finland)'s Prey
1. Awaken
2. Throne of Blood
3. Void
4. Conjuration
5. Evoke the Fire
6. Illastratum
7. Enchained
8. Treachery
9. The Raven
10. Outro