Performance: If this doesn't peel your noggin like a grape you have no head!
Hot spots: eenie, meenie, minie, moe...
Bottom line: Just add water and instant Raven Mad Fan!!

The new CD EP from Raven Mad has landed, and a shitload of metal it is! A local band, Raven Mad has been killing mercilessly in the Inland Empire [Orange County, actually - ed.] since early 1998. Their style is reminiscent of older Megadeth; just a great deal more pissed off. If being burned alive had a soundtrack, this bunch would write it.

The disc opens with "Metal Mad Ones", a pounding tune about some kinda ass whoopin'! It rocks and rolls and screams with a rage that can kill if mishandled. With lines like "Snap your neck right off your spine", it plays like a car crash for your mind.

Next up, "Into the World of Deceased", a horror thrashola that grinds on like falling into a mineshaft. The guitar work is tight and precise and full of those demented, cemented, argumented twin leads that make metal so fun.

The next offering is Leadfoot, a tribute to Southern California drivers (not!). This song hits home for a lot of people, so the desire to play it loud is all the more present.

Last on the list is "Metallurgy", a twisting instrumental piece that highlights the band's musical talents.

Fronting Raven Mad is William Rustrum, whose madman vocal stylings give clue to the origins of the band's name. His guitar playing is precision rage at it's finest. Along with William is Dustin Swad, another angry axe wielding metal monster. Together they crush the norms of having two guitarists with their intertwining leads and hella smack in the eye rhythms. Slamming the big strings is Melanie Sisneros, who plays right into the band with fire and brimstone, and don't let her diminutive size fool ya, she plays monster bass that'll flatten your ass like a house fell on you! Last but not least, holding it all down is the basher of the bruised skins, Joe Verastegui. He slams the heads and crashes the cymbals like a thunder god.

This is one heavy disc, although it only had 4 tunes, it's a good start for the new Raven Mad listener because too much at once can cause permanent house damage. At higher volumes I observed small pets in other yards explode.