Swedish Heavy Blues Rockers The Riven Reveal Riveting New Record

I have this crazy theory that human beings are not build for the world we’ve created. Oh sure, the mind has evolved to invent all kinds of wicked crazy cool things, but the body sometimes feels as though it was left a few evolutionary stages behind. As a consequence, each generation seems to carry more stress, anxiety, and the inevitable depression that accompanies nervous breakdowns (something all too common in our age). As medicine works feverishly to concoct on the perfect happy pill, one ancient remedy remains evermore potent: music.

I give this preamble because it leads into a band I want you to get to know a little better by the name of THE RIVEN. It so happens, as I was spinning my wheels in the midst of another jam-packed week (with a thousand to-dos dotting my calendar and a backlog of projects spilling over on every side), that I decided to take The Riven’s new record out for a spin. Wow…what a difference this 40-minute marvel made in my attitude. A sense of well-being enveloped me through the pulsating rhythms of the bass and drums, the entrancing dance of its spitfire guitar leads, and the mesmerizing siren call of the vocals. Soon, it had all worked its way into my body, like a deep tissue massage. I felt relaxed. No, more than that: renewed.

It’s no surprise that three of the four members of The Riven have roots in Sweden, which seems of late to be the wellspring of all things doomed and stoned. We documented the scene for you last summer, yet it was impossible even at 60 entries to give every band the love it deserved. At the time, the Stockholm foursome were spirited away to the studio, busily laying down track upon track as they steadily composed what would be their self-titled long-play debut (following the excellent extended play ‘Blackbird’ two years back).

I’ve decided to stop thinking about bands with ties to the seventies sound as “retro.” As I listened to the opening number from 'The Riven’ (2019), I thought to myself: “Now here is classic rock for our time.” Accepted on its own terms, The Riven is pure rock 'n’ roll, with a healthy injection of the blues and soul. I was delighted to find the band using that very term (“pure rock”) to describe their sound, as we seem to have arrived at that characterization independent of one another.

Of course, comparisons can be made to many great bands of yesteryear, but as the album progressed from riff-driven numbers like “The Serpent” and “Edge of Time” to the blues-drenched “I Remember” and rip-roaring “Leap of Faith,” I kept thinking about how well this stands on its own terms. The stunning presence of the recording captures The Riven’s vibe so well, the work of Madrid-based producer Ola Ersfjord (who’s worked on albums by Dread Sovereign, Tribulation, Night, Dead Lord, and Honeymoon Disease, to name only a few). You really couldn’t ask for finer sound engineering than this.

With one foot solidly planted in the great traditions of '70s and '80s rockers like UFO, Uriah Heep, and Heart and the other foot firmly lodged in the fresh soil of now, The Riven may well have us comparing new bands to them in the not-too-distant future. Totta Ekebergh’s singing is ideally suited to Arnau Diaz and Max Ternebring’s prominent guitar and bass leads, and drummer Olof Axegärd does an admirable job of reigning in each song rhythmically (which tempted me to call each track “tight” by default).

In short, 'The Riven’ (2019) is the perfect companion to your Friday night buzz. If you’re like me and find yourself drinking less and less these days, you’ll be comforted in knowing the music works its magic just as well with or without the aid of substance.

The artwork is second to none, another masterpiece by Dutch illustrator Maarten Donders (whose work we don’t see nearly enough of these days). Look for the The Riven to be cut loose this weekend, another fine addition to The Sign Records family (which has really distinguished itself as a “taster’s choice” label). You can acquire the record in your favorite format right here . Whilst we wait for the March 1st drop date, Doomed & Stoned is pleased to present the album in its entirety.

Give ear…

Some Buzz

The Riven is an electrifying powerhouse. Envision heavy blues rock, focusing on big choruses and mean riffs; progressive, psychedelic and classical musical elements standing side by side with a soulful and vigorous voice; each song, a chapter, revealing fates and tales from the past and the future. The force is strong in The Riven. Merging influences from a variety of genres, the Riven emerges as a pure rock element.

In 2018, The Riven went to Madrid, not to spend time under the Spanish sun but rather curled up in the cellar studio at Holy Cuervo Studios. In ten days they powered through the record’s nine songs, producing an album that in the words of the drummer Olof Axegärd, “is loud, is rock, is soul, and prog. It has it all!” The Riven will be releasing their highly anticipated first full length with The Sign Records in the spring of 2019. Produced by Ola Ersfjord (Lucifer, Primordial, Dead Lord) the album manages to merge the diverse influences of its four members into a solid unit of Rock and Roll that will leave no one oblivious.

Somewhere in West London, in the same neighborhood as many '60s British Rock bands like The Who and The Rolling Stones came alive, singer Totta Ekebergh, guitarist Arnau Diaz, and bass player Max Ternebring were living together in a typical suburban house. As modern vagabonds of the western world, their love of rock put them together under the same roof where music was flowing out of every room.

After an alcohol-fueled songwriting session between Diaz and Ternebring they decided they needed to start a band together with Ekebergh on vocals. With this sweet trio on the move they needed a drummer and for that they recruited Olof Axegärd. “Olof was the only one that would party with us and be able to play loud grooves in the morning, so we went with him,” says Ternebring.

Throwing all their different musical influences together, they ended up with an electrically charged cauldron that was too hot to touch! “It was like I entered a whole new dimension and melodies were being drawn out of me!” says Totta. Díaz brings the frantic riffs and the bluesy licks, Ekebergh gives you soul and hooks, thunder circulates from Ternebring’s melodic basslines, and Axegärd brings the NWOBHM drive and the proggy touch to the mix.

During the cold and foggy days of November 2016, The Riven made their way to the studio in East London where they would immortalize their first EP, 'Blackbird’ (2017). 'Blackbird’ was the band’s first milestone, showcasing their talent as songwriters as well as their proficiency behind their instruments. The EP presents a solid mix of the bands wide range of influences: classics like Thin Lizzy, Grand Funk Railroad, and early Rush mix seamlessly with contemporary sounds like Rival Sons or Kadavar.

Getting excellent reviews from the most influential retro-rock and stoner websites, The Riven’s tour schedule has taken them around the UK, Finland, and Sweden, opening for a diverse range of acts like the prog metal American legends Fates Warning, the British stoners Elephant Tree, and the Swedish garage rockers The Dahmers.

In the fall of 2017, The Riven decided they’d had enough fish n’ chips for a lifetime and to try some Swedish meatballs instead. Although they’ll probably never succeed in putting together IKEA furniture, they had something else in mind. Now being in the same country as bands such as Graveyard and Horisont, The Riven have found the perfect niche for their music. “Coming from Barcelona,“ says Arnau Diaz, "I must say it does get a bit cold over her. However, it’s a great excuse to spend all the time playing music and drinking over-expensive beer!”