When listing 2010's overlooked and absolutely essential underground releases, one that should undoubtedly be mentioned is Craven Idol's first serious strike. While the UK’s recent extreme metal activity may not be as consistently intense as in other countries, bands like Adorior, Craven Idol, and Grave Miasma still emerge to shake things up and blow you out of your seat.
There’s something important to keep in mind with this EP—especially for old-school metal fans like us—and that’s the divisiveness of its structure. On one hand, you clearly get the raw black-thrashing death metal worship of the '80s and early '90s; on the other, your ears might catch some unexpected atmospheric and eerie guitar melodies that throw you off a bit. The band certainly put effort into the production, and over the course of nearly 24 minutes, the six tracks (one of them being an intro) show a strong resemblance not only to classics like Bathory, Celtic Frost, and Nifelheim, but also to more modern torchbearers like Deströyer 666 and Gospel of the Horns.
A common trait across most tracks is their hellish, mysterious intros and outros—crafted as if echoing from infernal dungeons. You could even say some of them feel like direct continuations of one another. As mentioned earlier, these songs are interesting in that while the chainsaw riffs of black-thrash annihilation are ever-present, unexpected atmospheric solos and gloomy passages occasionally slip in. But don’t let that fool you—their aggression and savagery remain intact throughout.
Following the 45-second infernal intro, the first full track "Tiamatic Reprisal" kicks off with a doomy ambiance before escalating into deadly thrash riffs, accompanied by rock-solid vocals in the vein of Immolator’s black-thrash style. Though the chorus riff slightly softens the track’s barbaric attitude, it still fits perfectly. The second half slows down a bit with a solo, adding more weight to the piece.
"Burial Zenith" is my personal favorite—an absolute neck-breaker with a slight punk undertone and echoing vocals that heighten the aggression. It hits hard and wastes no time. "Desolate Tomb Of The Trinity" begins slowly and maintains a crawling pace for the first minute and a half, then blends impressive thrash riffs with alternating atmospheric and ultra-fast destructive parts. It’s a weird but captivating journey.
"Lured By Ethereal Altars" runs over seven minutes and might be the most brutal, annihilating track of the EP. With its relentless blasts, a non-stop barrage of black/thrash/death riffs, insane shrieks, and increasingly brutal vocals, it declares a war of blasphemy that topples every sacred monument in its path through vicious tempo shifts.
The closing piece "The Pact" is entirely doomy in tone—slow-paced from start to finish—and while it’s a short track, it’s a bit puzzling as a choice for a final blow. Its presence as a closer may not make immediate sense.
Still, I strongly encourage everyone to give this debut official release by Craven Idol a proper listen. There’s a high likelihood it will crush your skull. It's not 100% perfect, but it's more than ideal enough to keep drawing you back. A solid black-thrash performance worth your time.