DEAD RAVEN CHOIR

Selenoclast Wolves
The final acoustic recordings of DEAD RAVEN CHOIR released by God Is Myth Records on CD and distributed by Cold Spring Records. Some tracks feature instrumental or vocal contributions by Matt Rosin. Each poem by a different poet. The earlier album Lesbian Corpse Wolves (with contributions by Matt Rosin and Emily Salvatierra) is included as bonus tracks. Everything has been remastered by Frederic Arbour (Cyclic Law).

The Silence
January
Die Raben
When Men Die
Irrlichter
I Am Not A Recluse

Funeral Monument Of A Young Girl
Eranna To Sappho
Faded
Sappho To Eranna
A Prophet
The Courtesan
Corpse-Washing
A Sibyl
The Lunatics

Reviews

Vampire Magazine
November 28, 2006
Author: Gerald Robinson
Though Dead Raven Choir manoeuvres here within the more restrained corners of the BM spectrum, the spirit that pervades Selenoclast Wolves is undeniably black. This long-awaited album from the enigmatic, ethereal conjurer Smolken comprises six brand new odes as well as the entire nine-track Lesbian Corpse Wolves album reworked as a generous bonus. The latter was originally released on CDr in 2003, limited to a mere 30 copies so all 15 tracks hereon will represent a new experience to most listeners.
For those who dont know, the individual behind DRC - Smolken - is a schizoid performer, alternating between raw black metal and avant-garde, neo-folk. Selenoclast Wolves focuses on the latter facet of his muse, with lyrics borrowed from a host of eclectic poets, including pugilist and ear-biter extraordinaire Mike Tyson (I am Not a Recluse). You should know already that you are in the realm of the truly bizarre
Residing once more in his native Poland after spending some time in Texas, Smolken is one of the undergrounds most prolific creators. He allegedly recorded about ten albums in the four years leading up to 2004, all of which had the word Wolves included somewhere in the title and most of which were available only on CDr, that mainstay of non-commerciality. DRC also released a triple vinyl retrospective collection of its entire black metal catalogue last year but this vanished quicker than a condom in a whorehouse.
Eerier than Mick Jaggers pulling power and creepier than a paedophiles smile, the ghostly rumblings of Selenoclast Wolves are designed to fuck with your mind. Deceptively accessible, this is nonetheless as unique a dosage of extreme dementia as you could wish to encounter. The promotional jargon stresses folk influences and the presence of acoustic guitars, bass fiddle, troll cittern, cello banjo, mandolin and piano (as well as many spoken passages and the overall earthy vibe) backs this up emphatically but another accurate description of DRCs bewitching output as evidenced here might be Unplugged Black or Acoustic Black.
Its (I refer generally to the first six songs) definitely got the cold dirty heart of black metal but without any emphasis on electrics, pounding percussion or aggression, leading to a bizarre mix of pagan tunes, laid-back sensibilities and naked angst. Delightfully understated and carefree, opening shots The Silence and January work subtly at the emotions, setting a surreal tone that magnifies and amplifies the further we venture into the myriad chambers of Smolkens mind.
Though the waters are calm, a sense of menace lurks close to the surface not unlike the movie Deliverance and there is a foreboding feeling that all is genuinely not well. Closer to Nick Cave than Darkthrone, Selenoclast Wolves possesses a seedy, slimy underbelly that erupts during the disturbing Tyson-inspired rant that ends the first movement of this release. Like Iron Mike in his physical prime, this one will lay you out cold.
Theres a clear change of tact for the nine bonus tracks, which are even more subdued. With abundant female vocals, some of these songs remind me of PJ Harvey, or Bjork perhaps. Antimatter or The Gathering even... There are also strong hints of William Blake-era Ulver perceptible in both male and female deliveries. As the pace drops close to that of a snail's funeral, a multifaceted volume shows its two faces.
Thats Smolken for you. Quite the trickster.

Evening Of Light
Rating: 8/10
Author: O.S.
Selenoclast Wolves is allegedly the last acoustic album of D. Smolken's Dead Raven Choir, which has existed for around eight years now. As always there is a strict division between the acoustic material (album titles that end in "wolves") and the noise/black metal efforts. The latter is therefore naturally absent from this CD, but will be represented on the upcoming My Firstborn Will Surely Be Blind, a collection of black metal covers of country songs.
Selenoclast Wolves is a combination of six new tracks and a re-release of Lesbian Corpse Wolves, which was originally limited to 30 copies. A good decision, if you ask me, because this combinatie makes this one of the most varied ever released by DRC. Instrumentally, banjo and double-bass are on the foreground, as usual, but the piano also has a prominent role in many songs, which was not always the case on past releases. New songs like "January" and "Irrlichter", with the help of aforementioned piano, show an especially atmospheric - yet still ominous - side of DRC. The lyrics are, as always, taken from poets. The Prague poet Rainer Maria Rilke in particular plays a large role on this album: both "Irrlichter" and the entire Lesbian Corpse Wolves are based on his quill-work. Concering the poetry, the aggressive and rather funny "I Am Not A Recluse" is an exception. The 'poem' in question is a collection of quotes from boxer Mike Tyson, paired to great effect with the sharp bark and Polish accent of Smolken!
On Lesbian Corpse Wolves, Smolken is supported by Matt Rosin (vocals and piano) and Emily Salvatierra (vocals), which makes for a unique sound within the DRC-uvre. Here and there, their relatively soft voices form a sharp contrast to the dark instrumentation, while in other places - like the beautiful "Faded" - they very much enhance the mysterious atmosphere. To top it off, all songs are remastered by Frédéric Arbour of dark ambient label Cyclic Law, and that sure pays off. The production is crystal clear and perfectly tailored to the feel of this album.
It would be a true pity, were this indeed the final acoustic work by DRC, because Selenoclast Wolves proves that Smolken is one of the more original artists in the alternative folk scene. Even though there have been numerous releaes by the band, I'm not bored yet. But, if this really should be the end, consider this CD as a very good 'best-of'. Warmly recommended to both DRC-connaisseurs and newbies!

Aquarius Records
September 15, 2006
The latest from the ever so prolific Smolken, AKA Dead Raven Choir, who we haven't heard from in a while, at least as DRC, most likely because he's been spending time recording as Wolfmangler. So makes sense that with his return to the Dead Raven Choir monicker, along with him came some sonic vestiges from his time exploring a depper darker blackness in Wolfmangler. Which is fine with us. The darker the better.
Selenoclast Wolves, much like past DRC efforts, is a bleak world of dark twangy dirges, abstract acoustic guitars, strummed, plucked, picked, notes hanging in the grey air, beneath strange spoken soliloquies, slippery upright bass, sweet female vocals, creaking strings, mournful piano, the whole record swathed in a suffocatingly sorrowful ambience. Like Jandek on Peyote, left to wander aimlessly through some alien soundscape, or to trudge wearily through the fiery underworld. A stumbling detuned free folk smotherd in blackness and left to wither and die. So totally creepy and really frikkin' weird.

Lunar Hypnosis
October 26, 2006
Rating: 7.5 of 10
Selenoclast Wolves presents itself to be an acoustic album of the black metal/avant-garde project Dead Raven Choir. The album Selenoclast Wolves actually only consists of the first six tracks, while the latter half of the album is a reissue/remaster of the album "Lesbian Corpse Wolves" which was originally released in a quantity of only 30 copies. So effectively, I'm sure that the average person will find this completely new material to their ears.
The music of Selenoclast Wolves is quiet and more often than not, strangely discordant, created from acoustic guitars, a piano, and a cello. For the most part provides a background for a spoken word accompaniment. In the "Selenoclast Wolves" half of the album, the spoken word begins quietly, introspective and misanthropic, but by the end it culminates with the insanity of "I Am Not A Recluse" having uncontrolled shouting and screaming, calling for violence in the most absurd ways and all the while the speaker intermittently shouting and insisting that "I am NOT a RECLUSE!". The latter "Lesbian Corpse Wolves" half is more musical, although the musical style is more of the same. The notable difference is that here most of the vocals are sung, and very well might I add, by a female vocalist, and some more sparse masculine sung vocals.
The atmosphere as a whole is very moody, ranging from contemplative to manic, and most of all marked by the minimalist and dissonant music. If I could think of any parallels, I might compare this to the more spoken word oriented works of Current 93, sort of like the more disturbing content that can be found on some of their earlier releases, like "Swastikas For Noddy" although musically darker.
Musique Machine
Author: Roger Batty
Rating: 3 of 5
Selenoclast Wolves is split neatly in tow, the first half is all new material very much in a dark/ difficult avant folk state and claiming to be his last acoustic material. The second half of the disk is reissue and remastering of early Lesbian Corpse Wolves, which is probably as approachable to normal ears as Smolken has got with Dead Raven choir or his other projects, introducing more traditional/ tuneful melodies and sang female vocals.
For the first half all the trade mark Dark Raven Choir elements are in place: stop/start discordant acoustic guitars, sinister cello air and throb and of course smolkens unequal vocals/ spoken word sounding like a cross between a sinister count and a demented actor spouting strange mildew/gloom heavy texts, and of course silence which always plays a big part in the feeling of dread and atmosphere here. A few of my favourite moments from the first half would be Irrlichter with its slow stepping piano dread and cello saw, Smolken whispers creepy foreign tongue dialogue over the top. Bringing to mind creaking stone crypts and sinister gothic architecture licked by blood and lichen. I Am Not A Recluse which is a bizarre gitar/ banjo type strum & chug, with Smolken angrily ranting over the top about ripping his wifes head off & stamping on Childrens testicles ?! Yes its as disturbing, bizarre and darkly comical as that.
The second half is really very approachable and 'normal' in places, opening with Funeral Monument Of A Young Girl with it's drunken strum, smolken ohhs and haunted gutsy female vocals. Coming off like demented wrong sounding gypsy music or dark Spanish strum gone bad, but at its depth its almost merlodic too. This approachable feel and structure is at its height on The Courtesan with a wondering doomy come blues touched acoustic strum like black demented delta- blues music born from fog hazed swamps. Once more the rather pleasant and mournful haunted female vocals are used , you can just about hum along to this as well as it keeps fairly constent with its structure and melody. The whole of the second half does have quite a few thematic and instrumental nods towards American music be it ; the blues, weird Broadway songs gone doom, or dusty desert country twangs.
A fine entry point to the strange, horrific and darkly humorous world of Mr Smolken. For those already familiar with the mans work this is as good as anything else hes released, nicely balance bleak discordance, tuneful wisps of dark melody, theatrical darkness and atmosphere you could cut with a knife.