German solo artist Bells and Ravens fuses big riffs and anthemic choruses in a metal sound that leans on classical and symphonic influences and they describe as “powerful, melodic and unapologetic.”
Bells and Ravens is the work of songwriter and guitarist Matthias Fritz, who was previously in a band called Contracrash but decided to go his own way after two albums. “I’ve always had a clear vision of how things should work in a band, and reality often didn’t match that,” he told us. I love the creative process – writing songs, building concepts, constantly evolving.
“What I don’t love? Playing the same setlist for five years or getting stuck in stuff that kills momentum. Bells and Ravens gives me the freedom to push my songwriting further with every release. If I ever find a group of people who share that drive, I’d be thrilled to take this on stage. Until then – this is where the magic happens.”
And on the Bells and Ravens sound, he told us: “Imagine if Ghost and Alter Bridge had a love child, raised on classic rock and modern metal. It’s heavy but melodic, intense yet emotional. Whether you want massive riffs, anthemic choruses, or lyrics with depth – there’s something for you here.”
Our latest taste of this is Pick Your Battles, which was released on Friday. It opens up with a lively guitar lick and driving drums, which drop into an engaging opening verse supported by a backing organ and picks up pace as it builds up to a big chorus. A second verse ends with all the instrumentals dropping out, and setting up a big chorus to bring the track to a heavy conclusion.
Speaking ahead of the release, Matthias told us: “Super excited! It’s the first B&R track since What Death Cannot End (2022) and also the first with me on vocals – so yeah, it’s a big one. This song is a wake-up call wrapped in massive riffs and catchy hooks. It’s about knowing when to fight and when to let go. Some stuff just ain’t worth it.”
Matthias described the track to us as “marking a next chapter,” on which he explains: This track marks a return to my roots in many ways. The first two B&R albums had a strong symphonic influence, but this time, I’m stripping things back. Fewer orchestral layers, more raw energy, more punch. The new music is riff-driven, direct and hits harder. That said, I still love epic, cinematic sounds – so you’ll definitely hear that too in the future. But moving forward, it’ll be the exception, not the rule.”
As Matthias mentioned, this is the first release single his epic 2022 album What Death Cannot End, which offers up powerful tracks like opener Your Last Sacrifice, Master Of My Fate and the magnificent 1773, which offers a metal take on a classic symphony. And if you liked the latter, we also recommend checking out 1877 and 1808, which are epic metal arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, 1st Movement.
Matthias grew up in the 90s listening to The Beatles, Bon Jovi and more classic bands like Deep Purple, Guns N’ Roses, and Aerosmith. But things changed when, in 1998, he saw Manowar live at the age of 11 and he became hooked on metal. His music is also inspired classical music, which led to his hardcore classical phase beginning around the age of 20 and inspired his first two solo albums.
And on what inspires him to write music, Matthias explains: “The biggest inspiration is when I hear something and think, Damn, I wish I had written that. That always fires me up. Lyrically, I write a lot about real life – the struggles, victories, and those moments when you feel like the universe is testing your patience. I also love weaving themes of history, mythology or philosophy into my songs.”
There’s plenty more music to come from Bells and Ravens, with Matthias already working on new tracks that will push the project’s music further. He’d also like to explore live shows in the future but, for now, his focus is on creating and releasing new music.
And he added: “If you’re tired of overproduced, soulless rock music, give Bells and Ravens a shot. It’s real, raw, and straight from the heart. And whatever you do, turn it up loud.”
You can follow Bells and Ravens on Facebook and Instagram, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.
GigRadar 