<p>After the best part of a decade honing their instantly recognisable sound and seeing it co-opted by so many other bands aspiring for a similar level of greatness, the Raveonettes are blazing a newer, darker trail with the brilliant Raven In The Grave. Described by the band “the perfect winter soundtrack just in time for spring,” the Raveonettes’ fifth studio album is their darkest yet. <br /><br />It doesn’t take long to hear how the band has superseded their traditional sound. Of course, melody is still key to what the Raveonettes do, but the familiar bombastic beats and squalls of guitar-noise take a backseat during much of Raven In The Grave. Instead, the album is awash with ghostly synths and chillingly beautiful riffs that leave you feeling simultaneously unsettled and enchanted. It’s easily the most soulful music the band have created to date, but once you scratch that sombre surface and dig a little deeper, you’ll find that Raven In The Grave has an even darker lyrical heart. Inspired as ever by their own first hand experiences, many of the songs explore the disheartening finiteness of relationships and the devastating effects they can have when they do disintegrate. When you combine The Raveonettes’ expanded musical palette with this stream of nakedly honest emotions, the end result is an album so compelling and sincere that you could almost live (and potentially, die) inside it.</p>
