Review by JD on September 8, 2013.

With great curiosity I am looking at a CD in my hands. An odd drawing of a woman surrounded by flowers and clutching a bunch of arrows adorns the cover and that seemed cool enough. What would be on this disk musically was a far cry from what it was that I expected.

This band from Wisconsin is labeled Psychedelic Rock/Doom Metal, but I have a slight problem with that assessment. I see a band more apt to be labeled a Psychedelic/Atmospheric Rock that tagging it with Doom. It has a few smatterings of spots on the album that have the enjoyable heavy riffs that are reminiscent of early Sabbath, but it is rooted more towards acts like Blue Oyster Cult mixed with some hippy music of the late sixties or early seventies.

Jex ‘Jessica Bowen’ Thoth (Lead Vox) may be one amazing vocalist, but even her wonderful voice can’t help this collection of songs. Her power and sense of melody not to mention the insane amount of pure emotion she emanates out does carry the music along like a bowing crutch for a fat man, yet the limping music cannot be saved. I get what they might have been doing, but the musicality of the band is below what Jex can do. She does carry the bulk of the load here – but the element in the music does not match up to her amazing talents – and the album falls flat and dies.

If you are looking for good and powerful Doom Metal or metal in general, go elsewhere… if you want elevator music made exclusively for the extremely clinically depressed – this might be for you. Either way, most metallists will not get into this album. As a musician, it makes some sense in a little way, as a headbanger; it confuses the fuck out of me. It does have smatterings of metal like qualities – just not enough to do anything at all.

Its sad…very fucking sad indeed. Jex Thoth could match up to anyone out there – she needs a real band that can match her incredible talent pool.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 5
Atmosphere: 4 (vocals get all the points here, not enough to help though)
Production: 4
Originality: 3
Overall: 3

Rating: 3.8 out of 10

Review by Krys on March 16, 2001.

After their third great album "Bloody Blasphemy", God Dethroned comes back with an even better killer, "Ravenous. This is not just another death metal album, it’s music created by people with the goal of making you shit your pants. Those guys are ready to fuck everything that walks, sleeps, smells, pukes and drools.

"Ravenous" is a wild fury delivered in 11 superb mixed shots of acid. Although Slayer’s influence hits us a little too often, the combination of melody and outstanding riffs leaves a very satisfying feeling. Actually it’s more than satisfying. The combined guitar skills of Jens van der Valk and Henri Sattler works seamlessly throughout the whole album. They know exactly how to play death metal and they do it with such a commitment and passion that all tracks sound like Beethoven’s symphonies in that each note means something and builds the perfect background for another. Just listen to the title track or "Swallow the Spikes", "Villa Vampiria" or "The Crown for the Morbid" and you’ll understand what drooling means.

Another thing that can’t go unnoticed is work of their session drummer Tony Laureano (Angel Corpse, Nile). I got this strange feeling that he’s the main reason for the much more aggressive and furious sounds of God Dethroned. His unlimited drum-molesting skills push this band into another level of greatness. Two slower tracks, Macabre End’s cover "Consumed By Darkness" and "The Iconoclast Deathride" give us a much-deserved break from the high-intensity speed that dominates on "Ravenous". Masterfully played Death’s "Evil Dead" not only remind us of the roots of this genre but also show how much fervor and intensity emanates from these guys.

Bottom Line: Definitely a Death Metal highlight of the year! No excuses, buy it or die in disgrace.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10