Sarcoptes/Prayers To Oblivion/Transcending Obscurity Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Sacremento,  California's  Sarcoptes  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Prayers  To  Oblivion"  which  will b e  released  in 2023  by  Transcending  Obscurity  Records.

  Rain and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction.  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Elements  of  thrash  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  added  into  the  songs.

  The  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  of  the  faster  riffing  also  adding  in a   good  amount  of  tremolo  picking.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  historical  tragedies  in  World  War  II  and  The  Vietnam  War.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Sarcoptes  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  symphonic  black  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Trenches"  and  "Massacre  At  my  Lai".  8  out  of  10.

  Official Video Stream #1

Official Video Stream #2

Sarcoptes Bandcamp

Sarcoptes Facebook    

  

Walg/III/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Netherlands's  Walg  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  melodic  and  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  album  "III"  which  will  be  released  in  2023.

  Nature  sounds  and  acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  while  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while t he  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  

  Vocals a re  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  riffs  also  bring  in  a  lot  of  melody  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  also  being  added  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  and  clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  whispered  vocals  as  well  as  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing,  at  times  the  music  also  shows  some  influences  of  the  more  modern  atmospheric  style  and  the  bonus  track  is  a  Dimmu  Borgir  cover. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Dutch  and  cover  Humanity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording f rom  Walg  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Daar  Waar  We  Komen  On  Te  Sterven"  "Harteloas"  "Beerput  Der  Onwetendheid"  and  "Mourning  Place".  8  out  of  10.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6sSvlAu7Q8NDcNkn3C0TvZ?si=uu9FH5h8STuCO_fZkZxXgA

Website: https://walgmetal.com/

Bandcamp: https://walg.bandcamp.com/

  

  

Valve Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

A: /

C: Our schedule has been pretty tight because we had booked a tour for November 2022 and logically, the release date had to be around the same time. While we did our best to plan ahead, with vinyl production delays and all that, we ended up having to deal with a lot of different things in a very short amount of time, like promotion, final tour details, printing merch... It was challenging but it went well, the release went as planned and we went on tour with everything we hoped for!

G: /

S: /

W: /

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

A: /

C: /

G: I would say that we incorporated more influences, like "Mathcore/Noisecore" for example, which can be heard on "Kabuki", and we also added synths parts which was new for us. In my opinion we have a wider range of sounds, noises, sonic textures and atmospheres on "Thermoclines".

S: /

W: Yes, still a sludge/doom musical base, but with a larger soundscape, with on the one hand psychedelic and melancholic phases (including synths parts, but not only) and on the other hand more aggressive ones, with d-beat patterns and blast beats.

3.This is also your first release in 7 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

A: /

C: /

G: The line up changed, we toured in 2015 and 2016 across Europe to support our previous release "Apnée" and we have to admit it : we like to take our time !

W: It was not an explicit desire, but we were embarked in a complex composition process, absorbing the musical influences of the newcomers and also wanting to enlarge our musical spectrum. COVID phase was also not very helpful, of course, as well as our personal and professional lives.

S: Yeah, we don't have any excuse really… We just implicitly decided we'd rather do it well than do it fast I guess! 

It took us a long time to find which composition process was right for us. And even when all the songs had finally been written, we took the time necessary to get every detail just the way we wanted them. 

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

A: I would say that since the first EP that we released in 2012, we have always followed a common thread which was water and diving to the depths, like an allegory of the existential questioning of the human being.

Each project was an opportunity to push this reflection a little further.

The texts are also borrowed from feelings by which I could be submerged in my personal life at the time when I wrote them, while being enough imaged, in order to leave to the listener his own interpretation.

C: /

G: /

S: /

W: /

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Valve'?

A: Finding a name for this band has been subject to a lot of debate, which in my opinion is something inseparable from the identity of VALVE, 5 thinking heads, so a lot of debate! We even went so far as to put random letters in a hat!

C: It’s “VALVE”, all caps! More seriously, back then when we created the band, we did not want its name to bear a “deep” meaning, that felt a little pompous to us. And we were laughing about some noise rock bands with common names like “Cheveu”, “Tondeuse” or “Pneu”. “Pneu” means “tire” in french, and at some point somebody said “Well, some bands are named “Pneu”, so we might as well call ourselves “Valve”, and that stuck with us. We liked the word for its sound, and the absence of meaning, I guess. But we like to write it all upper case, “VALVE” 🙂

G: /

S: /

W: Disappointing, isn’t it ? :)

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

A: Ëmgalaï had worked on the artwork for the project of one of my beatmaker friends, Aguirre, and I loved his work! Then I realized that he had worked for a lot of bands with a tendency to doom, sludge... I immediately thought of him for the artwork of Thermoclines.

C: /

G: /

S: /

W: We really like Ëmgalaï’s work and, especially, his fascination for dystopian landscapes, so he was given free rein to interpret visually his perception of the album, the atmosphere and the message conveyed in it.

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

A: Without hesitation, the small and medium venues with the pit totally filled!

C:

G: I have great memories of playing gigs at small venues, bigger venues or at festivals.

I remember a gig in 2015 at "Le 3 pièces", a small venue in Rouen, France which was an absolute mess ! We had wonderful times on stage on this tour too.

I would describe our stage performance smoky but intense ahah !  

S: This last tour we just came back from (November 2022) has been packed with great shows. We have been playing together for a while now and I feel we really have become a well oiled machine. The fact we are now mostly playing songs we wrote together definitely adds to that too. I don't know if it is up to us to describe our own performance, but I hope the people coming to the shows find them worth remembering! 

W: Our best scene experiences were probably shows in short/medium sized venues, with dense crowd and proximity between the stage and the crowd, facilitating interactions.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for 2023?

A: /

C: /

G: Yes, we are planning to tour in Europe next spring, possibly in Germany, Czech Republic,  Hungary… and maybe some shows in France as well.

W: We’ll try to play as much as possible in France, in Europe and… Who knows ?

S: We love to play, invite us and we'll come! Simple as that… 

9.On the new album you also worked with 3 different labels, can you tell us a little bit more about the labels that have helped you with the new release?

A: /

C: /

G: /

S: /

W: 4 labels in fact : Itawak & Moment of Collapse for the LP, Poutrage & Yoyodyne for the tape, and we released the CD by ourselves. Itawak, Poutrage & Yoyodyne were basically friends, even if we like their previous releases. Regarding MoC, we feel lucky since we consider this label as one of the most important in the underground european scene.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by fans of extreme metal and post hardcore?

A: Thermoclines came out while we were on tour, so we mostly saw the reactions of the public to this new album that was presented to them live in its entirety.

And honestly we can say that people were quite enthusiastic and eager to get Thermoclines 😁

C:

G:

S:

W: It’s too early to get worldwide feedbacks at this point. That said, it seems so far that our friends and the people met during our November tour were very enthusiastic, indeed. 

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

A:

C:

G:

W: I guess we’ll explore deeper the sonic territories we entered in with “Thermoclines”.

S: Although we're all extremely pleased with how Thermoclines turned out, I think we're all eager to try and make an even better album next, indeed going deeper into the new sounds we experimented with on Thermoclines. We'd love to manage that in less than 7 years this time, but I feel we're not comfortable with working with deadlines composition - wise, so… 

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

A: We are quite eclectic music lovers.

For my part, I listen to a lot of rap, especially french rap, techno, jazz and of course metal with a big preference for bands with a tendency to sludge, doom, post hardcore, chaotic…

To give you a few names, all styles combined, Alpha Wann, Veerus, Converge, Wolves In The Throne Room, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Autechre, Venetian Snares...

C:

G: I would name Cave-in, Botch, Car Bomb, High On Fire, Fantômas, Kowloon Walled City and even some soundtrack composers (Howard Shore, Richard Band, Harry Manfredini…).

S: There are of course a few references we share. Bands like Isis, Torche, Yob or Converge come to mind. But we all have very personal tastes the rest of the band don't necessarily approve of haha. I believe I am alone in VALVE to unironically enjoy Bon Jovi! Some of us are really into techno, others into old school hip hop…

W: We share a musical base indeed, but beyond that, we listen to very different music. For example, for my bass player cred, I really like dub (roots or electro), drum’n’bass, trip hop (Seriously, I really like this music). Regarding “heavy” music, I used to mainly listen to what we call post-metal or post-rock, but now more and more “straight to the point” music (punk/hxc;crust;d-beat…). As I was a teenager in the 90’s, I’m also deeply attached to grunge, noise, post-hxc and (good) pop rock bands.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

A: Let's see what the future holds for this band!

C:

G: Yes, we will see ! Thanks for interviewing us !

S: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, and thanks to people who have read this far! See you on the road hopefully! 

W: /

https://www.facebook.com/VALVE.PARIS/

Exist In Ruin Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the musical project since the recording and release of the new ep?

I’ve spent a lot of time writing new material and I’m ecstatic with what’s next. I got hold of a 7 string guitar after the release of the debut EP and it’s really influencing the sound direction for the upcoming releases. It’s still going to be symphonic and melodic, but with an even bigger sound! The guitars are taking a more prominent role. On the first EP I worked with João Miguel (Enblood, Nephilim) to do guitar solos, but the next series of songs will feature him from start to finish, as well as solos. I’ve also spent plenty of time promoting the debut EP and soon after its release I was able to secure a distribution deal with WormHoleDeath Records. The EP is being reissued on Dec 2, 2022, so I’m excited to see what transpires. 

2.Recently you have released a new ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

The sound of Exist in Ruin on the debut EP is heavily inspired by a few of my favorite bands (Amon Amarth, Dimmu Borgir, and various other influences), while still maintaining a uniqueness. With guitars, drums, and the heavy male vocals it’s more of the melodic death metal/metalcore influence of Amon Amarth, plus a slight touch of black metal influence in places. With the Orchestration and the female vocals I was very influenced by Dimmu Borgir and one of their female vocalists, Agnete Kjølsrud.   

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored with the music so far?

The EP has a strong undercurrent of persecution in the stories told in the lyrics of each song. Songs are about the predictable cycle of violence and persecution in genocides that take place in parts of the world. The tyranny of invaders. Amazing how relevant it is with world events today. One is about emotional predation or persecution by a Succubus. Another is about religious persecution where innocents were burned as witches. One about persecution of people through experiments in asylums of the past, and the title track is about persecution by one’s own mind by the depths of depression.       

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Exist In Ruin'?

It was a perfect encapsulation of my existence when I started working on the project at the end of 2019. At the time I had no idea the music would be what it is today. Mentally, I was in a very dark place. Years of sliding backwards in life and feeling trapped in a home/investment that I grew to despise, I felt very overwhelmed by it all. At the time I was fed up, blaming all my problems on others, and I wanted to leave my family and start a new simple and minimalist life. I was also extremely unhappy about my overall health and appearance and didn’t feel like I was myself anymore. Writing music at the time was a hiding place from it all. When the pandemic arrived it was terrible for many people, but it gave me a much needed break from the daily grind of life. Things have improved drastically since then, but at the time it was a perfect description of my existence.    

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover?

It’s a piece of art from an incredible artist “The Iron Parasite”. He says it was very influenced by a Children of Bodom album cover he liked. On the image there’s a lone character, isolated and completely covered in robes in an environment of skulls and desolation. I thought it was perfect metaphor for how I felt at the time and also visually a perfect fit for the Exist in Ruin name. The isolated character, hiding its face from the world in a desolate environment was a perfect reflection of myself. Even my personal band photo’s chiaroscuro lighting style, with my face half in darkness, symbolizes a struggle within.   

6.On the ep you also had a great amount of session musicians, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contributions to the recording?

American composer Jonah Weingarten, known for his incredible work in notable bands; Pyramaze and Catalyst Crime, is an old friend of mine. We worked together on a 3-song symphonic death metal demo many years ago with a band I was in at the time. All the other musicians were found online and all were/are experienced members of very talented bands. From Portugal, César Moreira (vocals in Enblood) and João Miguel (Lead guitar in Enblood) deliver the brutal vocals and guitar solos on this EP. From France, Jessy Christ (NZGL, Syndo-syS) delivered a range of Soprano, melodic, and heavy vocals as the female counterbalance to César’s deep death metal vocals. From Germany, Sebastian Bracht (Sophicide, Dahlian) delivered a unique male a cappella metal choir that fit perfectly in the middle of the EP to balance it all out. From Bulgaria, Konstantin Raydovski, a session guitarist very early in the project delivered solos on two songs that were just perfect for two of the songs.         

7.Do you have any plans to search for a live line up to do shows or tours in the future?

I think that would really open doors to finding new fans, so it crushes me to say there are no plans at the moment. I’d really love to do something with the original members. One way I imagine it can happen is if we arrange a festival slot and all get on board to make it happen. Herculean effort, but not impossible!  

8.A lot of the musicians who contributed to the recording come from different parts of the world, what impact does this have on the musical style that you play?

We are all fans of similar bands and music so we click on that level, but being able to hand pick each member online from anywhere in the world has allowed me to find the exact members I needed to emulate my influences, who are mostly European bands. It’s not likely I would have found an epic symphonic keyboard player who plays in European metal bands, a Soprano opera singer that loves black metal, and a heavy metal a cappella vocalist operating at these levels in my own area. They do each bring a bit of flavor from each of their countries to the songs. For example, Jessy Christ subtly added some French lyrics in one of the songs she sings on, and it works!     

 

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of symphonic black and death metal?

I went into it thinking that there would be a bit of criticism. I accept that not everyone is going to like it. Also, when you claim to fit into certain genres, and people don’t agree, they can get quite irritated. I was expecting some of that, but really there has been none that I’m aware of so far and it has been overwhelmingly positive. I’ve had many messages from people that love the EP and are looking forward to more. 

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

Most of the songwriting is complete for everything that will be released in 2023. The plan currently is to release several singles, each with it’s own video and artwork, and then fully promote and market each one to keep growing the audience. I will also pitch the songs to see if I can secure funding for a full length album or or EP. Besides all the work getting the singles out the door and the associated marketing, I will continue writing new material throughout 2023. I have extensive material to draw from and will see where I stand at the end of the year. 

     

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that you are currently listening to nowadays?

According to my end of year wrap up on Spotify I have been listening mostly to Exist in Ruin, Slayer, Eonian (A project similar to Exist in Ruin put together by one guy with guest artists), Nephilim (A band that Exist in Ruin’s vocalist, César Moreira and guitar soloist, João Miguel play in), as well as one of my favorites, Old Man’s Child. Some other bands I’ve fairly recently discovered and now love are Uada, and King of Asgard. Basically all a mix of melodic death, symphonic melodic death or black metal, and thrash.    

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Just to thank everyone for their support! Please spread the word. The reactions I’ve had so far are a huge inspiration to continue and I can’t wait for everyone to hear the new stuff! Thanks for the interview! 

www.existinruin.com
 www.youtube.com/existinruin
www.instagram.com/existinruin
www.facebook.com/existinruin
twitter.com/existinruin

Greybeard/Dark Age/2022 Full length Review

 

  Greybeard  are  a  band  from  Calgary,  Alberta,  Canada  that  plays  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Dark  Age".

  Black  metal  screams  and  heavy  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  clear  vocals  can  also b e  heard  at  times.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  when  clean  playing  is  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Greybeard  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic  and  progressive  forms  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  and  cover  the  tale  of  a  family  living  in  an  abandoned,  desolate  cityscape  as  the  father's  mental  state  collapses ,  imagining  a  witch  speaking  to  him  about  how  to  save  his  family.

  In  my  opinion  Gerybeard  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of t hose  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Light  From  1,000  Suns"  "Beneath"  and  "Dark  Age".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/PqSVlrkMPDo

https://greybeard-yyc.bandcamp.com/album/dark-age

https://open.spotify.com/album/53NoVIF8fUVWhSEiXk9TCD

https://music.apple.com/ca/album/dark-age/1656201044

  

  

Vorgrum/Nature Emerge/2022 EP Review

 

  Vorgrum  are  a  solo  project  from  Argentina  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  fantasy  orientated  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2022  ep  "Nature  Emerge".

  A  very  heavy  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams.  Elements  of  folk  music  are  also   mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  along  with  one  also  adding  in  some  clear  pagan  chants   and  accordions  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording.

  Most  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  style  while  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  On  this  recording  Vorgrum  takes  hid  music  into  more  of  a  mid  tempo  folk  metal  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Fantasy  and  paganism  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Vorgrum   and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk  and  fantasy  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Path"  and  "Nature  Emerge".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://vorgrum.bandcamp.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vorgrum
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/vorgrum
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6hWSGko9tpuN1ReyF8YxPh?si=fHCSafWAR9S_eG5G0QE4wg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vorgrumfolk   

High Fells/Catharsis/2022 Full Length Review

 

  High  Fells  are  a  band  from  Denton,  Texas  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Catharsis".

  Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  brutal  sounding  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffing  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  elements.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  symphonic  sounds  can  also  be  hear d on  the  closing  song.

  High  Fells  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mental  and  emotional  wellness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  High  Fells  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lingering"  "Hypoxian"  "Fall  With  The  Sun"  and  "Where  They  Call  my  Name".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/JJ83eInk6fU

Highfells.bandcamp.com, Spotify.

https://youtu.be/iWoznIVS4aY

Highfells.com | Facebook.com/highfellstx | Twitter.com/highfellstx | Instagram.com/highfells