Lost Hymns By A Cloud of Ravens

By Phil Hawkins

If you are a fan of darkwave then it is possible that the name A Could Of Ravens has been on your radar the past few years. If not, then their latest release, Lost Hymns is something you should check out sooner rather than later.

A Cloud Of Ravens released their debut album, In The Wicked Hours back in 2019 and have showed no signs of slowing down as they have gone on to release an EP, a full length album and a remix album all prior to their latest release. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York the duo have remained consistent even in the midst of the pandemic.

Lost Hymns opens with “Requiem for the Sun” and instantly sets the tone with a driving bassline that is woven throughout the track. This mixed with [Matthew] McIntosh’s towering vocals dive full force into the darkwave aesthetic that is ever-present on the album. “In Winter’s Arms” follows and is loaded with an underlying synth ambience that soars during the chorus. Once again, McIntosh shows his vocal ability and embraces a more gothic tone and delivery. “Old Ghosts” is a remarkably crafted track that feels like a solid combination of Depeche Mode meets Mega Man. The guitars are dark and gloomy which contrasts against the higher pitch on the vocals on the track.

“The Blackest Mantra” opens with a drum beat that feels almost tribal in nature before the guitars kick in. Once the guitars flesh out the composition the post punk influences become quite evident and feel almost reminiscent of very early U2. “Parable,” which is the latest single from the album, carries more ethereal tone early in before it shifts into an almost industrial sounding chorus. “Fear Not” rounds out the first half of the album and is another track that fully embraces the goth rock aspect of things. The bass tone stays low and semi sludgy contrasting against the more atmospheric synth tones in the track.

“Nature of Artifice” kicks off the second half of the album and has a much more full sound than the rest of the album thus far. The track seems to fully utilize the space it has available to it in addition to a more well rounded production. “When We Go Cold” follows and almost feels like too abrupt of a shift musically, but it is still a solid track. It’s slower more subtle approach gives a bit of a different aesthetic that still manages to lend with the rest of the album as a whole. “Rite and Ritual” follows and keeps a similar slower tone, but the musical approach feels more uplifting and then plunges head first in to a stronger tempo about a minute in creating yet another solid contrast of the lighter and heavier elements of the project.

“Tower Down” begins more more tribalistic sounding drums mixed with another solid bass line that is infectious and revels in a simplistic complexity. Once the synth elements fully integrate it rounds out the track in a rather lush composition. “Obsidian Waltz” closes out the album and is probably the most drum heavy track on the album. Their solid driving nature are a force all their own. As the album draw to a close McIntosh’s towering vocal ability continues to encapsulate the album’s gothic nature with minimal effort culminating in well crafted track that embodies the album’s overall aesthetic.

Overall, Lost Hymns is a genuine and thought provoking gothic darkwave album that is a breath of fresh air. It manages to stay consistent without allowing itself to become stagnant in just a singular element. The only drawback, in my opinion, is that the drums feel a little flat on a few of the tracks (mainly early in the album). However, the album does not suffer for it.

Lost Hymns is out now from Nexilis and is available on all major streaming and digital platforms or you can order direct from the band via Bandcamp.