Draven

High expectations surround this CD. It’s been produced by Kevin Shirley, who has worked with such heavyweights as Zeppelin, Maiden and Bon Jovi. Name a successful rock band and he’s been involved. This British quintet [actually quartet] is being heralded as the next big thing. The advanced publicity suggests a mixture of The Answer with a southern rock feel. The summation seems to be wide of the mark. The band centres around twins Jim and Frank Paoli, who handle vocals and guitars and they at least raised the bar for twins in music. With an album based on Milton’s epic poem “Paradise Lost” they certainly have more credibility than The Cheeky Girls. What you get is big stuttering riffs attached to varied, almost progressive, arrangements. While the guitars do have a classic rock feel in places especially in some of the deft soloing there’s a more melodic feel overall than either Glyder or The Answer. Vocally, it owes more to British indie bands in delivery such as on ‘Don’t Cut Yourself’ which has a real progressive Muse feel and a Rush like guitar line. Title track ‘Eden’ sounds like Oasis when they try to rock out. ‘Home’ has a definite Suede vocal whine about it, while ‘Breathe’ hints at Coldplay and Elbow.
There’s no arguing with the production; it’s big and bold and lifts otherwise potentially ordinary material up a notch or two. Which upcoming band wouldn’t benefit from Shirley’s know how? The songs are intricate and allayed to the fine production means it’s an album that yields rewards with repeated listens. Standout tracks would be the obvious single ‘Itchy Finger’ with its catchy sample of the tune from “The Good, The Bad And The Ugly”, the epic sounding ‘I Don’t Care’ which is the kind of grandiose tune Axl Rose often favours.
Perhaps not Paradise Regained then but an interesting debut even if it doesn’t quite live up to the hype. It should find an audience with those who like an unusual mix of heavy riffing and British indie.

POWERPOINTS: 7/10
- Powerplay Magazine

So here’s a synopsis to get a certain element of our readership drooling –Muse jamming with Led Zep. Sounds like hyperbole, but that certainly sums up the sound of this debut effort from Surrey-via-LA hard rockers Draven, which contains a liberal sprinkling of stardust that hints at potential for future greatness. Production from Kevin Shirley (the button masher behind efforts from Bon Jovi, Iron Maiden and Metallica in the past) is every bit as slick as you’d expect with no shortage of balls-to-the-wall rockers on offer, but it’s on the mid-tempo pseudo ballads that ‘Eden’ really sores – the title track, ‘I Don’t Care’ and ‘Breathe’ all positively harmonious and haunting. Taking its cue and source from Milton’s legendary poem Paradise Lost (yep, we’re in concept album territory here), ‘Eden’ is every bit as pompous, complicated and orchestral as you’d expect, and all the better for it. If classic rock is your bag, Draven are quite possibly your favourite new band.
Reviewed by Greg Porter
- Devolution Magazine

Issue #1262, May 23rd 2009:
EDEN – KKK
SONG-BASED ROCK DEBUT YOU CAN DANCE TO, AND IT’S BRITISH TOO.
The distance that separates the talents of the best bands and those who might feel resentful about such bands can sometimes be measured by the tiniest margins. Released on the smallest of independent labels, chances are that Eden will hot harvest the size of audience its appeal actually deserves. This is a shame because Draven have a good ear for a song and a keen eye for a sharp lyric. This 13-song set might not be particularly unusual, but its merging of musical styles from various decades – where melodies from the psychedelic ‘60’s mix drinks with riffs from the ‘70’s, choruses from the ‘80’s and production values from today and tomorrow – suggests a musical literacy that might well be worth keeping a file on. Decent stuff, this.
DOWNLOAD: Don’t Cut Yourself
FOR FANS OF: The Answer, The Beatles
IAN WINWOOD
- Kerrang Magazine

".....listen to the sounds of mankind....". Well, thankfully Draven are a
helluva lot more pleasant than the destructive intro and samples to opener
'Blitz' with it's poignant lyrics like "....the devil's shoes are at No
10...". Although based in the UK, Draven have a more international sound
thanks to the Latin background of the most of the members and what they have
sure rocks - big time! From the Robert Plantesque vocals to the deep
throbbing bass to the fret burning guitar this band have taken the defining
hard rock sounds of Zepp, Aerosmith and Nirvana to fashion their own
appealing formula 1 sound thanks to their confident musicianship and the
quality production of 'Caveman' Shirley (!) on this debut. Elsewhere on
"Eden" I'm hearing The Black Crowes on 'I Don't Care' or even Cream on the
title track so there's plenty of lateral movement in the band that should
see them blasting well on their way to the rock stratosphere!
- Battlehelm Magazine

Track Of The Day: Draven
sllewellyn / News / 24/04/2009 15:11pm



Check out today’s TOTD from young Brit hopefuls Draven. They’re worth checking out, as CR’s Malcolm Dome explains…

It’s easy to get caught up in the hyperbole of dressing clichés up as something unusual. But Draven are genuinely a little unusual, just a touch different. Yes, the young Brits have their roots – planted in the enriched soil of alternative heroes yet also traditional hard rock giants – but nonetheless offer 21st Century appeal. They have big hooks, massive melodies and an edgy graze or two on the proverbial knees.
Working up a healthy sweat on the road, Draven haven’t used cunning marketing tools to hoodwink anyone into believing their sound is totally new. What their old-fashioned approach to getting noticed did do was hone down the style and songs.

You can hear all of that on debut album Eden, one that takes a few plays to appreciate. To be honest, if you like instant action and gratification, then this is probably a band and record to avoid. However, every time you play it, you’ll hear something else which will keep you coming back – until you hum those tunes in the most unusual situations!

Blitz is a prime example. It’s got funk elements, tough guitars, nods at Lostprophets and Smashing Pumpkins, but also offers up Thin Lizzy and Rolling Stones inspirations. Ultimately, it’s a damn fine song – and that still counts for everything, right?

- Classic Rock Magazine online

British by Blood but southern by riff, Star-chasers Draven mix megawatt hard rock with dusty southern boogie and couple it all to pointed lyrics about our weird world and its inevitable downfall.

Their debut album, the Kevin Shirley produced EDEN is a sprawling cinematic epic that's half cowboy-bar brawl and half Monsters Of Rock arena smasher! - Classic Rock Magazine

RUSHONROCK –

Draven - Eden (cnr Records)

Dodgy name, amazing music. Those four words, or rather the latter two, sum up a sensational classic rock debut by one of the best British bands we’ve heard all year. Remember when you first heard The Answer? Recall that first Black Stone Cherry riff pounding your brain? Draven are right up there with both bands and fully deserve to be the next big thing.

Twins Frank and Jim Paoli pull no punches as Draven’s driving force and the quality of tracks like I Don’t Care and Home belies the fact that this band is brand new to all but the keenest purveyors of future rock gods. Only the metal-edged Fight lets an otherwise awesome record down and Iron Maiden producer Kevin Shirley has more than lived up to his reputation by adding the polish to the potential.
rushonrock rated: 9/10 So This Is Eden?
- Rush on Rock Magazine

GET READY TO ROCK - Sunday, May 3 2009 20:59:05
DRAVEN
100 Club 30 April
View: Stage left, next to the (nearly) naked dancing girl.

With production by Kevin ‘Caveman’ Shirley and already some decent reviews, there are high hopes for Draven’s debut album ‘Eden’. And judging by this album launch at the intimate 100 Club on Oxford Street, some of that is well founded. The gig had been made free entry if you signed up in advance so was well attended by an already established fanbase. The music, a fluctuating mix of classic / epic rock and alternative rock, largely sits very well, with twins and twin guitarists/vocalists Frank and Jim Paoli leading energetically. I thought the look of neckscarf and flares had gone out, but obviously not.

A stringed intro gave way to the album opener ‘Blitz’, with the backing of radio news reel type commentary slightly distracting. The title track was dedicated to a friend who had died in a car crash, a solid slower number with a gothic grunge feel. Tracks from the debut went down well; “I Don’t Care” is a power metal ballad with an alternative feel, and excellent guitar solo, and “Fight” more trad metal, nodding at a chugging thrash.

The look and feel of this feel of this 4 piece is of Led Zeppelin without the blues, and occasionally big AOR vocal harmonies over an alternative rock rhythm. The more alternative songs weren’t so gripping, but when they played it epic hard rock, they really do rock. Even when the piano adds a Beatles / Britpop feel on “Breathe”, it’s thoroughly enjoyable.

Performed with a smile and banter too; expect bigger things.

Joe Geesin
- Get Ready To Rock

SEA OF TRANQUILITY -
Draven: Eden

Debut album from this young band of UK hard rockers who have pulled off something of a coup in engaging the production services of none other than the highly regarded Kevin 'Caveman' Shirley (Iron Maiden, Journey, Aerosmith and many others). If their name sounds naggingly familiar its because they share it with Brandon Lee's character in The Crow and Draven also make an immediate visual impact by virtue of having identical twins Frank and Jim Paoli sharing guitars and vocals. The twins have been writing sings together since the age of 12 and Draven first emerged in 2004 when they appeared at Guilfest alongside Alice Cooper and it was a speculative demo forwarded to Shirley that resulted in the invitation to head over to LA for recording. Somewhat unusually for a band that at first glance supply no nonsense, hard-edged, classic hard rock there is also a concept running throughout Eden that is loosely based on John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost.

Unlike some of their peers Draven are evidently a band that have diligently gone about writing quality songs as opposed to just catchy riffs and hooks. The up-tempo title track and fiery blues rocker 'Itchy Finger' are both instantly accessible but also have plenty of staying power and their is a confident maturity about the aching desolation of 'I Don't Care' or the eight minute plus 'The Stranger'. Before anyone is tempted to dismiss them as simply clones of the Answer then be assured Eden is not simply made up of fist-pumping anthems. Just check out the tender and bittersweet ballad 'Breathe' or the contemporary rocker 'Don't Cut Yourself' for further proof.

A stunning debut that marks a very promising beginning for a band who are genuine contenders for bigger and better things.

Added: April 17th 2009
Reviewer: Dean Pedley
Score:

Also interview - http://www.seaoftranquility.org/article.php?sid=1298
- S.O.T

Toxicpete.co.uk –

Draven - CD - Eden

'Eden' by specialist rocksters Draven is, I guess, very much in line with
the whole Guns'n'Roses/Aerosmith hard rock kinda thingy - that hard to deny
melodic, bordering on anthemic, passionate rock stylee that seems 'timeless'
and pretty much peerless.

This is guitar driven rock at its very best and Draven's energy and
dedication to the form is near tangible; with precise, thrusting drums that
cut decisively and unerringly through space supported by majestically
roportioned, hard-chuggin' bass, the backline's captured beautifully in all
its rock elegance and hard-drivin' fury. The superbly executed fx laden
guitars are crisply rendered and ebb and flow across and through the vital
ackdrop in both a supportive rhythmic role and in the pretty-much incessant
'lead' role. The impassioned vocals are stunningly delivered and are
engineered to cut through the instrumental melee to cry and wail out the
bitter-sweet lyrics with total believability and surprising clarity.

'Eden' rocks all day long but Draven don't just blast out high octane rock
for rock's sake they can take it way down and gentle (relatively speaking!)
and really mix it up and 'Eden' demonstrates their 'tender' side as well as
their brutal! The album is superbly produced which allows each individual
component of the whole to be clearly heard and fully enjoyed in all its
power and beauty - if you're someone that likes to pick out solo
'instruments' for discussion 'Eden' gives you ample opportunity to break
Draven's music down into its many parts or you can just sit back and admire
the full embodiment of this rock monster just as it is.

'Eden' by Draven is just about as good as it gets; it demonstrates superb
balance between the hard and heavy and the more gently persuasive rock
elements, there's something for most tastes here and 'Eden' should appeal to
a wide catchment of dedicated rock-heads as well as some of the more
industrious indie-ites alike. 'Eden' by Draven works at just about any db
level but really comes into its own when maxed out and bustin' the cones!
Great music for in the car on those long journeys when you need an injection
of energy to keep you going; Draven provide that injection and 'Eden' is the
drug that enlivens your system and keeps you on a high. 'Eden' by Draven is
right up there with the really big 'boys' offerings; great writing, stunning
musicianship and brilliant production - a must-have album and potentially a
massive one!!

Peter J Brown aka toxic pete (www.toxicpete.co.uk)
- Toxic Pete !