Ragana (Latvian for witch) is a two piece "experimental" black metal band that formed in Olympia WA.
The word experimental looses me sometimes and its definitely fair to call this two piece band experimental, but only in the best of ways and only because they distort, break some black metal taboos, sing lyrics you don't want to miss audibly and make space to do things a little differently.
Wolves in the throne room is the most obvious influence of Ragana that band member Nicole sites but Mount Eerie, Cat Power, Weakling, and A Silver Mount Zion were also ingredients in the musical genius of this band. The two members switch back and fourth between the drums and guitar and both sing. The music is prone to blast beats and minor style switching when other black metals have trained you to not expect it but it works. You can't help but describe it as brutal or black metal, but it could not be mistaken for any other band.
You're gonna want to be the first to show your friends this band but you better hurry up because Ragana has been busy with two releases in barely a year. All's lost in 2012 and Unbecoming in 2013 and two west coast tours one last summer and one just recently in January. They are on brief hiatus but are expected to release a comp of both All's Lost and Unbecoming on a German record label this spring.
I'm so attached to both albums it's hard to say which I prefer but there is definite musical growth on Unbecoming and personally Invocation gives me chills, literally chills, every time I listen to it, which is pretty much everyday.
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