Band:	Empire
Album:	The Raven Ride
Style:	Heavy metal, Rock
Release date:	2006

01. The Raven Ride
02. Breathe
03. Carbon Based Lifeform
04. Satanic Curses
05. Al Sirat - The Bridge To Paradise
06. What Would I Do?
07. Changing World
08. Maximum
09. I Can't Trust Myelf
10. The Devil Speaks, The Sinner Cries

As you can see just above, the last line-up of the German combo Empire, looks a bit like an "all-star" team. With Mr Rolf Munkes (Majesty), Neil Murray (ex: Whitesnake), Andre Hilgers (Silent Force, Axxis) and Tony Martin (ex Black Sabbath), "The Raven Ride" 3rd album of the band cannot seriously suffer of some bad musical interpretations. At the opposite, our four guys are extremely good on this release.

In general, "The Raven Ride" is a mid-slow tempo album. The songs are slow but the riffs are heavy and well even if the music is dark and even if it's slow it's however "powerful". A "doomy" song like "The Devil Speaks, The Sinner Cries" with its slow tempo and its big powerful vocals is a pure jewel (probably the best song of the album in my opinion). "Satanic Curses" at the opposite sounds a bit like some 70's Hard Rock songs.
I particularly like the work with the guitars of Rolf Munkes. Well, Metal lovers probably know him already but here again they won't be disappointed. His riffs are heavy and super melodic, his guitars soli are technical but extremely intelligent too (don't expect some guitar masturbation here, that's the total opposite), no really this album is just a really great performance by the German guitarist

The production is perfect but I regret the lack of real hits. Oki we have some good songs like "The Raven Ride" or "Carbon Based Lifeform" but on the other hand, songs like "Changing World" or "I Can't Trust Myelf" become a bit boring after some spins. But well in general the quality of the other songs correct this little problem.

People who like "doomy" slow Hard Rock will probably love this release. I don't think that "The Raven Ride" is the best album of the band, "Trading Souls" was probably better but still it's solid as iron and it's full of good things so I will just recommend it to the Metalheads who like "old school" classy Hard Rock. I'm sure that they will enjoy it.