Embarking from the effervescent core of Sofia, Bulgaria, Savage Ravage has demonstrated an unwavering journey, steadfast in the pulsing heartbeat of the local metal scene for an impressive stretch of 14 years. Their tenacity and immersion in the exhilarating currents of metal, hardcore, and punk have seen them grace numerous stages across their homeland. This mighty ensemble has now unveiled its long-awaited debut album, a magnum opus marking a crucial milestone in their odyssey.
The raw genesis of Savage Ravage traces back to 2009, within the confines of a primary school, where an assembly of school-mates discovered a mutual admiration for the formidable genre of death metal. Their shared affection for the genre metamorphosed into a sonic powerhouse, effectively challenging the conventional confines and refusing to be labelled. They wear the proud proclamation of being a “metal” band as a badge of honor, an emblem of their wide-ranging and potent sonic panorama that resists conventional categorization.
While their electrifying live performances have achieved near legendary status, it wasn’t until this year that they entered the studio, a hallowed ground where their creativity and zeal could be condensed into an album. This marked a significant milestone in their journey, giving form to their years of dedication and progressive evolution.
Savage Ravage has finally uncaged their self-titled debut album. Released on June 12, 2023, this highly-anticipated album has been 14 years in the making. Their debut offering is a tangible testament to the countless hours spent honing their craft in rehearsals and electrifying audiences on stages.
“Our debut self-titled album is out! 14 years after our first rehearsal we finally made it.” – says the band.
For our exclusive feature, the band invited friends from the local scene to share their impressions of their favourite tracks, an initiative that underscores their commitment to the local metal community.
1. Тухла по тухла (Brick by brick)
Benev, bass and vocals for Savage Ravage: Heavy music is the best. Even if you disagree, it’s still true. “Heavy” doesn’t necessarily mean metal or hardcore or loud. There are different types of heavy. For me Bob Marley and The Wailers is heavy too. There’s a real heavy groove and a powerful message, so it’s actually heavier than a lot of other stuff that gets wrongfully labelled as heavy.
This album is our take on heavy music. The opening track is the oldest one on the record. It’s also the shortest song and the only one that has a guitar solo. We wrote it back in 2013 when we were still in high school. The lyrics were written on a family holiday in Greece and they are about trying to build in life “brick by brick” instead of staying passive and witnessing everything around you crumble – real shit.
2. Las Vegan
Stefan Mladenov “Chenata”, drummer for Grizzly: Savage Ravage’s latest release, “Las Vegan,” explodes onto the music scene like a sonic dynamo. This electrifying track showcases the band’s unique seamless, high-energy composition. “Las Vegan” serves as a refreshing elixir, pushing the boundaries of creativity and exploration.
From the very first note, “Las Vegan” demands your attention, hooking you with its infectious rhythm and powerful instrumental arrangement. The track expertly weaves elements of metal, demonstrating Savage Ravage’s mastery at mixing instruments into a cohesive musical journey. The electrifying guitar riffs dance effortlessly with the destructive basslines, while the drums serve as the driving force behind the song’s irresistible groove.
What truly sets “Las Vegan” apart is its captivating vocal delivery. The lead singer’s voice possesses a raw, untamed quality that echoes the wild energy of the song’s title.
Production-wise, the track is an exemplary display of power. The meticulous layering of instruments and the precise mixing allow each element to shine, without overcrowding the overall sound. The result is a polished and vibrant track that maintains its energy from start to finish.
“Las Vegan” is a triumph for Savage Ravage, showcasing their exceptional talent and fearless creativity. The track’s explosiveness, coupled with its lyrics, makes it a standout in the current music landscape. Savage Ravage’s audacious sound and infectious energy are destined to leave a lasting impression on anyone who dares to experience it.
3. Понякога (Sometimes)
Genadi Mihov, guitars for Simai and Deformed: Reminiscent of a song from the early Gojira albums, Понякога starts with a double bass madness played by Ivanov, alternating into blast beats and playful ride rhythms. Accompanying the great recording of the drums are the also amazing high gain (cranked up to 11!) guitars and deep bass played by Tanchev and Benev.
The lyrics take us into the eerie mind of someone who would want to see a woman again and thinks about her.. sometimes. Понякога is one of their latest musical compositions, which makes you want more of the same. It shows how mature the band has become in their 14 year ongoing run. Incredibly groovy yet very cohesive. Once the song starts picking up at the middle of the play, it goes into like a boss fight in a game you don’t want to end. Topping off, it leaves you hopeful, with an almost melodic guitar riff paired with a very groovy drum beat to escort the whole thing into the next song.
4. Лъжецът (The Liar)
Teodor Fichev, cinematographer: The Liar opens with a storm of blasting drumms and intense riffs that slowly transition into a groovy almost dance-like rhythm spiced with some quality growling. The black metal blast beat and riffs at the chorus are the icing on the cake and my personal favourite moment in the whole album. The lyrics are sharp, straight to the point and most importantly in the local language of the band. The Liar is an absolute firestorm and gets your blood pumping every time without a miss. Definitely my favourite on the album.
5. Гнездото на орелa (Eagle’s Nest)
Mihail Sotirov, Extreme Summer Fest: Every song from the fresh new self-titled Savage Ravage album is a banger but for me there is one song that stands out. Гнездото на орела delivers awesome energy through it’s catchy riffs, blasting drums and thick bassline. The vocals blend in perfectly with the rest of the instruments and as a whole it sounds punching. It’s an absolute banger that’s gonna make you lose control, go crazy, smoke 500 blunts and drink a whole bottle of tequila. I’m talking about a surefire guarantee that you won’t be able to resist headbanging your way through this sick tune.
6. Claire
Georgi from Expectations: Voice message #1: Bro… I’m here in Plovdiv on a business trip. I went out with Tsonev and the other guys, we drank some beers, I got a little drunk, had three more beers at the hotel… and bro I got high and played your song… I sent a message to Bojkata about it already… Bro it’s really good. It’s just really good, it’s real fucking metal man. Really good. Well done. Well done bro.
Voice message #2 (a few days later): Bro I’m not gonna lie, I’m in absolutely almost the same situation as last time… And I played the song a couple of times in a row and it’s really good bro. It’s just, you know… It won’t be super famous and commercial unfortunately, well I hope it will, but that’s the beauty of it: people just make music which other people expect to hear, and you make music the way you like it… And you just do it, you know. Naturally. It’s a natural process. There’s some birds in the park here, I’m super high. (…) I don’t know what to say, sorry for the long message. But the song is the hammer.
7. Новата стара (The New-Old)
Andrey Benev, guitars for Clinged: This song is unique in every way possible, so much that when I first heard it I was shocked by how tight the riffs were, how brutal the drums were, the heaviness of the vocals? – perfect. It’s different from anything the Bulgarian metal scene has seen.
8. Его (Ego)
Vassil Valeri Vitanov, Artist: Title says it all. The “rest” is solid metal.
9. Топлият вятър (Warm Wind)
Dolores Candle @bluff.corps record: The first LP of Savage Ravage ends with the track Топлият вятър and it’s a good choice since it captures the heavier sound of the latest compositions but also gives a glance to what’s coming next in terms of musical development and sound of the band. The progressive vocal lines are something worth noting also because they hint that the next release will be no less experimental than the debut LP in terms of developing and further searching for maximal authenticity with the overall direction of the sound and compositions.
Nikola Ognyanov, guitars for Vokyl, Enthrallment, Revival: Топлият вятър is the perfect closer to the album. For me it conveys the good old rage, yet it has this underlying feeling of hope going on, which makes it quite an unique tune.
