Count Raven - "Storm Warning" [1990]

Artist: Count Raven

Title: Storm Warning

Genre: Old School Doom Metal

Country: Sweden

Release date: 1990

Track List:

1. Intro: Count Raven
2. Inam Naudemina
3. True Revelation
4. In the Name of Rock 'n' Roll
5. Sometimes a Great Nation
6. Within the Garden of Mirrors
7. A Devastating Age
8. How Can It Be
9. Social Warfare
10. High Beliefs (Bonus)
11. Frightened Eyes Never Lie (Demo) 

Like Candlemass, Count Raven were a classic doom metal band from Stockholm, but they were quite different from their much better known compatriots in terms of their sound, which was much more Black Sabbath-influenced. Another difference is their lyrics that quite often touched on political and social topics, which is rather uncommon for doom metal. When it comes to religion, their lyrics always were quite ambivalent, compared to overall anti-religious zeal of the 90s metal scene.

"Storm Warning" is their debut full-length album, and the only one featuring Christian Linderson on vocals (who also has done the vocals on "C.O.D." by Saint Vitus). Despite some filler tracks, the album as a whole is quite good; my personal favourites are "In the Name of Rock 'n' Roll" (a really catchy track with lyrics criticising the commercial glam rock/metal bands of the time and their highly metrosexual/androgynous looks - won't be surprised if it would be considered politically incorrect in today's Sweden) and "Inam Naudemina". There are also two bonus tracks from their early demos, that sound quite different from the rest of the album. Overall, "Storm Warning" makes for a very enjoyable listen, even it's too much in the vein of Black Sabbath while I prefer Candlemass-like doom metal.