Damn! Now that’s a piece of cover art! The very first thing that drew me in to Craven Idol was the beautiful work of Paolo Girardi certainly, but taking into consideration the fact that they’ve hooked up with Dark Descent records for their debut full length album (a label who have a solid roster of talented extremity), it was pretty much a guaranteed love at first listen for me. Beefing up their sound from their ‘Ethereal Altars’ EP 3 years ago, ‘Toward Eschaton’ goes straight for the jugular from the off and barely stops for breath ‘til it’s through with your lifeless shredded remains.
While I’ve heard a lot of fast, angry black thrash, Craven Idol delivers an unforgiving sound which is sharp, incisive and packing a severe punch to the throat. Touches of death metal can be heard in the riffage, with their overall sound reminding me Ares Kingdom (or, a handful of other bands of the NWN label who share a similar musical outlook). It’s not a full on assault of the senses in terms of speed and destruction throughout (though ‘Aura of Undeath’ and ‘Golgotha Wounds’ are both pretty damn manic), but the guys manage to crowbar in melody through roaming riffage, tons of rocking parts recalling the more maniacal side of 80s thrash (‘Orgies’) as well as some sublimely epic sections which you wouldn’t necessary expect (which ‘Codex of Seven Dooms’ is packed with). There are swathes of ripping solos slashing through the world demolishing riffage, increasing the melody stakes one moment, before going apeshit and sliding in a crazed feel to the proceedings the next. Vocally, it’s blackened rasps all the way, but at times multi-tracked to give a truly demonic feeling to the primal blasphemes which are being spat forth with such venom. There’s a strong eastern feel to some of the melodies throughout (parts of ‘Left to Die’ are particularly noticeable as an example), which remind me of Melechesh if they were living on a diet which consisted solely of Aura Noir and Sacriphyx. Add in some Tom Araya screams, and there you have the prime ingredients of a fine British band who have scored yet another success for their label.
Thus, ‘Towards Eschaton’ is packed with titanium riffage, eroding your ears with an earthy, powerful production job that suits the style perfectly. All this backed up with a rabid heart and wrought iron backbone which staunchly stands against all that is false, plastic and modern. Balls out, attacking and varied; Craven Idol are a band who deserve the attention of the underground.
(8/10 Lars Christiansen)
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