Expectations have been high for the release of the latest offering Renaissance from Raptore and thankfully, it has not disappointed. Renaissance follows on from the release of the first Demo back in 2014, first album, Rage n’ Fever in 2016 and the critically acclaimed Blackfire in 2022. Originally formed in Argentina, Raptore eventually moved to Spain in 2018 and after some member changes, they are now forming member, vocalist and guitarist Nico Cattoni, guitarist Jamie Killhead, bassist Christian Blade and drummer Ángel Smolski. As well as their studio work, Raptore tour regularly and have supported bands such as Enforcer and Exciter. They are also regulars on the festival scene.
I would find it quite difficult to put Renaissance into a genre, but if pressed, I would say heavy metal with a hefty helping of speed, some hair – reminiscent of the early eighties – and the occasional echo of glam. Renaissance also seems to pay tribute to many of the big names. Just some of the influences I could hear across the tracks included Judas Priest, Mötley Crüe, Motörhead, Sabbath, Scorpions, W.A.S.P and Whitesnake. Not only does this highlight how apt Renaissance is as the album title, but it also means you get to enjoy the music as listening pleasure without needing to work your brain too much at the same time.
The album itself opens with a short organ-style prelude in the form of Ecclesia and then moves into full on metal in the second track Satana, which you can watch the official video for here:
The next couple of tracks, Abaddon and Darklight were particular favourites of mine; the excellent musicianship along with Cattoni’s distinctive vocals backed by Killhead and Blade, helped to bring to life tracks that highlighted some of the best bits of the 1980s scene. Opening with bells, you could pretty much guarantee that the fifth track, Requiescat In Pace was going to be dramatic, and in this regard, it certainly did not disappoint. Blade also comes to the forefront in this track as well, really driving the bass line through and he powers up the bass line even more through Into The Bowels. Followed up with the Kingdom Come and the melodic Imperium, the speed influences continue right through to the final track All Fires The Fire. Although there is a slow intro to this, it soon picks up pace again until the fading outro where the tempo slows down again, giving an appropriate ending to the album.
This is a short album, running at just over half an hour, but it still packs a tight punch within this timeframe. Although I enjoyed listening to this, I have to say that I would have preferred the vocals to come through more – I felt that at times they were a little too lost within the music. However, there are consistently good drum lines from Smolski across the tracks which really showcases the speed metal and combined with some great licks and superb riffs from Cattoni and Killhead, it does mean Renaissance is an album which is great to listen to at any time of day or night.
Renaissance is released 22nd November 2024 and you can listen on the usual platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music or pre-order CD and vinyl from their official merch store. To learn more about the band, visit their Facebook or Instagram pages.
“Expectations have been high for the release of the latest offering Renaissance from Raptore and thankfully, it has not disappointed.”
Track listing
- Ecclesia
- Satana
- Abaddon
- Darklight
- Requiescat In Pace
- Into The Bowels
- Kingdom Come
- Imperium
- All Fires The Fire
Special thanks to Dying Victim Promotions.
