Of Wolvhammer and Across Tundras fame, both great bands on their own merit, multi-instrumentalist Heath Rave came forth with an incredible full length, abounding in darkness, heaviness and finesse. From the cover artwork to the very last note, Lovers in Wartime is a captivating work of art which may be standing quite far from the reinvention of sludgy post metal, but it definitely cuts through with its sincerity and its ominous tone.
Slightly less approachable than the videographed singles which helped the album's early promotion, opening number, Precipice, is one of the toughest, heaviest and most undirected tracks off Lotus Thrones' debut, coming with a foreboding opening line and an overarching sense of peril which Rave pulls off comfortably. Vocally resembling a wearier Steve Von Till, and instrumentally approximated to the more atmospheric side of post metal, Precipice paves the way for the rest of the full length's hardiness, and prepares for a pretty strange and enchanting excursion.