BEDOWYN are a fresh, new band out of North Carolina who wields, I might say, one of the most unique sounds I have ever heard. Their debut EP "Wolves & Trees" draws sound from the realms of Prog Metal and Rock, Doom, classic Heavy and even Melodic Death. On this release the band has done a great job of showcasing the versatility they are capable of among each song; it all sounds like BEDOWYN, but it all sounds different; exactly what I look for in a metal record.

"Bisha'a" is a solely instrumental piece that is heavily cemented in BLACK SABBATH roots with a few dashing NWOBHM flicks. It switches around between that sound, heavier and more progressive headbangers, and an epic, driving riff not too dissimilar to AMON AMARTH. "Evil/Right" is steeped much more into thrashy/heavy areas with rumbling chugs, and the first sign of vocals, which are in their own right aggressive and powerful. "O' Bitter Sea" sounds like the most experimental track; the relatively unassuming rhythm guitar pattern is underlain by a trippy and unpredictable drum play; the acoustic guitars add a Proggy / Folky feel. Eventually the guitars do shine through as the song goes on, playing a lengthy but well-thought out and psychedelic solo.

The title track kicks off with a catchy but heavy, mid-tempo riff that after only almost a minute speeds up into double-kicked tremolos, with talk box leads adding a weird, but intriguing vibe to the track. As great as the guitar work is on the track, especially in the wonderful-sounding solo, I would have liked to seen a greater vocal presence. Not at all a bad voice, but literally a greater amount of lyrics sung. After the instrumental opener, I feel like any further lack of vocals would take away from the beauty of the EP by creating some monotonous feeling. "Snarling of Beasts" was easily my favorite track; the first half is breezy, bluesy, calm and mellow, and suddenly chugged into the horizon; I felt as if this song was more of a telling of a story, rather than having a conventional song structure, and that is what made it most interesting.

I must admit I look forward to what the debut full-length will sound like, given the great potential this EP shows.