{"id":750311,"date":"2026-02-08T09:49:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T09:49:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/750311\/"},"modified":"2026-02-08T09:49:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T09:49:12","slug":"missed-album-review-crowsvsravens-the-grey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/750311\/","title":{"rendered":"Missed Album Review: CrowsvsRavens – The Grey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Published by John<\/strong><\/a> on February 7, 2026February 7, 2026<\/p>\n

\"\"No artist credited<\/p>\n

Style: Progressive metal, progressive rock, alternative rock, heavy metal (Clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Haken, Queensryche, Rush
Country: United States
Release date: 25 November 2025<\/p>\n

Contrast is one of the defining features of progressive music. The juxtaposition of different dynamics, genres, and sounds that aren\u2019t normally heard together forms the foundation of this forward-thinking and vibrant musical style. CrowsVsRavens<\/strong> are a New Jersey-based progressive metal project that allegedly \u201cthrives on contrast\u201d, and set out to display it on their sophomore record The Grey. This \u201cglobal recording collective\u201d features a rotating cast of eight musicians, and promises a musical journey that defies genre boundaries while remaining accessible. Can CrowsVsRavens <\/strong>keep this promise, or do they struggle under its weight and lose sight of their goal?<\/p>\n

The Grey\u2019s first impressions are honestly, stellar. Opener \u201cSingularity\u201d immediately kicks into speed metal mode and brings a pleasant surprise: a Mekong Delta<\/strong> inspired riff that sounds as if it were pulled right from Dances of Death, and anything that brings Delta\u2019s <\/strong>urgent, melodic riffing to mind is an instant win for me. CrownVsRavens\u2019<\/strong>s core sound revolves around a tight, versatile rhythm section, layered vocals that switch between soulful grunge singing and power metal highs, and guitar harmonies of the classic metal variety. The Grey filters this sound through different lenses, from the speed metal of \u201cSingularity\u201d to near funk on \u201cBeyond Repair (Monday Mirror)\u201d, and the Queensryche-<\/strong>style guitar harmonies of \u201cThey March Ever On\u201d. While individual tracks hold up well on their own, it\u2019s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture when approaching The Grey as a whole. CrowsVsRavens <\/strong>can\u2019t always settle on a mood between the more solemn slow moments (\u201cThe Grey\u201d, \u201cBroken\u201d), and the spirited, upbeat ones (\u201cSingularity\u201d, \u201cSpears of Sennacherib\u201d). Track sequencing also hampers The Grey\u2018s flow: the opening salvo of the first two tracks is matched almost nowhere else, and following them up with two slower tracks only adds a feeling of disjointedness, making the record seem misrepresented from the start.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Thankfully, a handful of moments showcase CrowsVsRavens<\/strong>\u2018s full potential, particularly on standout track \u201cRabb1t H0le\u201d, which features engaging harmonized vocals, frantic rhythms, and spiralling guitar leads. The song not only flows like a story but generates a mystical atmosphere \u2013 it even ends with a snaky riff that calls to mind Rush<\/strong>\u2018s Hemispheres. \u201cSails and Sirens\u201d is another excellent track, twisting from lighter, groovy verses to urgent unhinged prog with more Mekong Delta<\/strong> riffs (yes please), and even some borderline harsh vocals near the end, which inject a lot of momentum, showing how powerful and heavy CrowsVsRavens<\/strong> can be. In stark contrast, \u201cBroken\u201d could have been omitted: it\u2019s a by-the-numbers power ballad that stalls momentum entirely and lacks everything interesting about the group\u2019s sound, saved only by Rob Lundgren\u2019s powerful vocal performance. For all the progressive aspirations, this feels like playing it safe on a project that is supposed to \u201cdefy musical boundaries\u201d, and drags the experience down.<\/p>\n

One final positive is how well CrowsVsRavens<\/strong> works together as a global collective. Chris Bohm (drums) and Rope Ganjee (bass) anchor every song and they drive The Grey with shifting rhythms and bouncy grooves. A rotating cast of at least three different guitarists and vocalists fill out the rest of the lineup, and while none of them stand out individually \u2013 save the aforementioned vocals of Lundgren \u2013 they are all competent and contribute strong, layered melodies across The Grey. I suspect one day there will be a time where CrowsVsRavens<\/strong> are able to tie together their classic metal template, solid harmonies, and musical atmosphere to release an excellent record. The Grey is a competent release with a handful of standout moments, particularly when their classic metal template takes advantage of their layered melodies and strong rhythms, but ultimately feels disjointed as a whole, and their proposed journey tends to stray off course in the process. For now, I guess we\u2019ll have to see who wins: the crows or the ravens. Only time will tell, but their conflict is at least chaotic and fun to watch. <\/p>\n

Recommended tracks: Rabb1t H0le, Singularity, Sails and Sirens
You may also like: Mekong Delta, Anathema, Pharaoh, Incura
Final verdict: 6\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n

bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3067595473 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]<\/p>\n

Related links: Bandcamp<\/a> | Facebook<\/a> | Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

Label: Independent<\/p>\n

CrowsVsRavens<\/strong> is:
\u2013 Rope Gangee (bass)
\u2013 Chris Bohm (drums)
\u2013 Rich Grabowsky (guitars on \u201cSingularity\u201d, \u201cBroken\u201d, \u201cBeyond Repair\u201d, \u201cEpilogue\u201d)
\u2013 Filippo Rosati (guitars and keyboards on \u201cSpears of Sennacherib\u201d, \u201cThey March Ever On\u201d, \u201cRabb1t H0le\u201d)
\u2013 Tom Wooley (keyboards)
\u2013 Rob Lundgren (vocals)
\u2013 Ged Cartwright (vocals)
\u2013 Trevor Laake (vocals)
<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n