Raunchy "Prisoner" (2026)

 

A revelation hit me within a riveting first listen, this record is a labor of love. Returning twelve years on from a forgettable Vices.Virtues.Visions, these Dutch musicians reunite armed with ten stellar cuts of Raunchy at their best. The band's embrace of Trance and Dance elements swirled into a fusion of Groove Metal, Industrial Metal and Metalcore never caught on with the metal masses. One of many talented acts propped up by Nuclear Blast Records, they always strike me as overlooked.

My recent delves into musical creativity illuminated the composing behind these songs. The creation process between bandmates must have been a joyous process. Prisoner oozes with octane chemistry! Christensen and Semesky have distinct voices that routinely dazzle through inspired harmony. So often do they punctuate the mood and peak emotions. However, these moments are earned by momentum. Engaging paths are forged between intrepid drum grooves, flashes of electronic club music, subtle soundscape design elements and of course, romping metallic guitar riffs!

With cohesion a plenty, we traverse intensities, swaying from bursts of industrialized heavy, to gleams of melodic glisten, with many shades between explored. Its a delight, engaging from front to back with plenty of arrangements and hook to get caught on.

Highlights include a classic infusion of Club music on the opening Frostbite, their quintessential motif. Masquerade's delightfully catchy opening mid tempo "la la la" leads into a fiery cut. Revealing I groovy breakdown and tense melodic pivot a tempered theatric crescendo of sorts. I love how it melts into folkish acoustic guitars. The twelve year wait explains itself, a brew bottled up for too long, finally let loose.

Rating: 8/10

Raunchy "Vices.Virtues.Visions" (2014)

Danish group "Raunchy" snuck this one, their sixth full length, right under my radar last year. Raunchy are a six-piece group whos sound would lump them under the "Future Fusion Metal" name coined by Mnemic, describing the sound in the European scene. Combining many of the energetic elements of Industrial, Metalcore, Djent, Death and even Progressive Metal, their sound would be atypical if not for the Electronics present in the form of backing symphonics and Trance like leads that add a engrossing layer of electronic melodics. Their 2006 release "Death Pop Romance" impressed me immensely and earned them a reputation as a band I should always take the time to check out what they are upto.

The best of Raunchy comes from their clean melodic vocal lead hooks and infectious, poppy trance like melodies that ring out an uplifting mood along side aggressive, modern Djent metal riffage that pounds and grinds chugging rhythms with aggressive drumming. Its the moments that give way to the electronics that Raunchy find their niche, and they create these vibrant sing along moments song after song, but its the moments between where things don't move so smooth. The Metal side of their sound is relatively generic and the guitars lack a spark to create something with an energy or idea thats fresh to an experienced metal listener. It flicks like a switch as the songs build up with varying riffs and structures that lead to the implosive moment where the electronics drop in and time and time again this is where the magic happens.

"Vices.Virtues.Visions" is a decent effort, one that taps into the best of their unique sound, but drifts into mediocrity when the Metal takes lead. Clocking in at over an hour with a couple of lengthy numbers the moments between can drag, however the hooks and melodies are right on point. Another strength this record developed were some pounding festival like beats, you can envision the crowd clapping and fist pumping along to the bass kick that rings out as the music calms before the storm. Sound wise its representative of modern production, very audible and clear, the drums having a punchy and crisp tone about them. The electronics sounding superb alongside the crunchy guitars. Raunchy do a lot right here, but tiring of typical Metal guitars made a lot of this record dull for me. 

Favorite Tracks: Truth Taker, Digital Dreamer, Anasthesia Throne, I, Avarice

Rating: 5/10