Romanian doom-death metal band Ravenswarm will release their debut album, Echoes of Ruin, on November 20, 2026. The record arrives after more than a decade of work that began in the ashes of the members’ previous band, and it is built around themes of betrayal, resilience and second chances.
Ahead of the release, the band have shared the song “Ravenswarm” on their YouTube channel, a first taste of a sound rooted in doom-death metal and colored by gothic and black metal influences.
From Hyleon to Ravenswarm
Ravenswarm formed around 2015, when lead guitarist Ovidiu Marta, guitarist Sergiu Iacob and drummer Vlad Tuta came out of their previous band, Hyleon. The trio spent their early years exploring different musical directions before settling on the darker sound that defines them today.
In 2019, Gabriel Orbulescu, Hyleon’s former vocalist, rejoined his old bandmates and gave the band a new dimension. Vocals are now shared between Orbulescu and Marta, whose contrasting styles range from clean singing to intense screams and growls. After several changes at bass over the years, Vlad Todor is the latest musician to join.
Echoes of Ruin
The band’s music looks at tensions within society, inner struggles and the darker sides of human experience, and those ideas sit at the heart of the album. Echoes of Ruin deals with the lasting impact of betrayal and the doubts it can plant in our convictions. Across its songs, Ravenswarm confront fear, break away from what holds us back and search for the strength to begin again.
The album is built around rebirth in its many forms, from ravens carrying our fears away to the ashes we rise from when we are ready for a new start. The cover art reflects that idea, with a raven shaped out of tangled roots. The band are available for interviews through Loud Rage Music, the Romanian PR company handling the release.
Our Take
A debut album that took the better part of a decade to arrive is often a sign of a band that knows exactly what it wants to say. Doom-death built on two contrasting voices, one clean and one harsh, is a classic formula that bands like My Dying Bride and Swallow the Sun have used to great effect, and the theme of rising again after betrayal gives Ravenswarm a strong emotional core to work with. Romania’s metal scene keeps producing interesting bands, and this one is worth a listen when Echoes of Ruin lands on November 20.
Ravenswarm are: Gabriel Orbulescu (vocals), Ovidiu Marta (lead guitar, vocals), Sergiu Iacob (guitar), Vlad Todor (bass), Vlad Tuta (drums).
