Ravage

Ravage is a band that seeks to return a sense of "power" to power metal. The band's unique blend of classic NWOBHM-style heavy metal and late 90's European power metal is a breath of fresh air in a scene rife with tried extreme metal acts, wimpy melodic metal and bland rock. The band formed as far back as 1995, when two brothers in their early teens set out to form a band hell-bent on returning heavy metal to the glory it had lost with the invasion of the hapless early 90's grunge trend. Alec "Al Ravage" Firicano started out on drums and eventually became the vocalist of the group, while his brother Eli Firicano started on bass and eventually took up the guitar. After years of line-up changes, numerous demo recordings and countless underground shows, the brothers had honed their playing and forged a unique, but traditional heavy metal sound. By 2001, they had recruited a line-up of players capable of delivering the full potential of the band's now well-refined songs in a live setting. They had picked up an excellent second axe-man and songwriter named Nick Izzo, and the band's sound was soon defined by a firey duel rhythm guitar attack.

In 2003, Ravage finally produced a quality demo recording of some of their best songs with the aim of securing a record deal to produce a full-length album. After the release of that recording, the successful 6 song "Curse Of Heaven" EP, the band fielded numerous offers from underground record labels and eventually chose Germany's Karthago Records. The band entered the studio again in 2005 and recorded a self-financed 11 song album "Spectral Rider". "Spectral Rider" was recorded during a transitional period in the band which saw drummer Phil Coyne, whom the band had taken from the ranks of young local technical thrash metal phenoms Cryptic Warning, leave to pursue other numerous musical projects. The band also parted ways with bassist Anthony Bud. Nick Izzo and Eli Firicano would complete the bass guitar work on the album.

Soon after recording the final tracks however, the band picked up their tightest rhythm section to date, adding rok solid drummer George Bellofatto, and six-string-slinging bassist Howie Snow (who contributed the bassline to the bonus track on the album, a remix of the song "Curse Of Heaven" from the band's earlier EP).

The "Spectral Rider" album will appeal to metal and rock fans of both today and yesteryear with it's classic metal mixture of catchy, high-energy melodies, thrashingly frantic rhythms and intense lyrical imagery. With an average band member age of just 21 years old, and with playing skills and song writing abilities far beyond their years, Ravage has limitless potential and should be rocking well into the future to come.

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