The perpetuation of a specific Metal genre depends a lot of how new generations will deal with it. In Black Metal and other genres linked to it, some bands prefer to try to expand limits, and others prefer to focus their efforts to create something different on a model that was used many times before. In the last case, things are pretty difficult, because sometimes is hard to create in an eroded scenario. But the UK based torments of CRAVEN IDOLS dared and showed a very good work on their third album, "Forked Tongues".

Their music is based on a classic Black/Thrash Metal form, in the vein of the ancients HELLHAMMER/CELTIC FROST, BATHORY, SODOM, DESTRUCTION, KREATOR and SLAYER, that sonority of the 80's. But beware with the meaning of these words: to follow the same way doesn't mean that they don't have a musical personality. Indeed, their music shows a hard and brutal personality that can be better lapidated in the future, but they show a massive and aggressive music full of hooks and energy, in a way that is hard to the listeners to resist to it.

The quartet worked with Tom Dring on the studio, and he did the recording, mixing and mastering of the album. Along with the efforts to create an old and nasty sonority, filth and nasty as Hell, things were done in a way to make the band's musical work understandable. It could be a bit better, but's not bad. And on the cover, another piece of art created by Eliran Kantor.

Musically, as said above, the band can work on a better way. But for now, it's a very good release to hear, especially on songs as "Venomous Rites" (a massive and fast song, with excellent guitars), "The Wrath of Typhon" (a song with a slow approach, using a very good set of rhythmic contrasts created by bass guitar and drums), "Even the Demons..." (a simple and nasty Black Metal song in an Old School vein, with very good snarls and screams from the vocals), "Forked Tongues" (aggressive and nasty to the bones, with great guitars once more), and "The Gods Have Left Us for Dead" (more than 9 minutes of very good and crude melodies, creating a morbid ambience), is to have the sensation that they're really a name to be noted and kept in mind.

For now, CRAVEN IDOL is really a promising name, and "Forked Tongues" can be heard (and enjoyed) for all those who are into Old School extreme Metal.