Craven Idol – The Shackles of Mammon (Review)

This is Craven Idol’s second album. They are a black metal band from the UK.

2013’s Towards Eschaton made an impression on me, and I still return to it now and then for a fix of ugly blackened worship.

Craven Idol play black metal forged in the fires of the old-school. The Shackles of Mammon takes what the band produced on their debut album and effectively turns everything up to eleven.

As well as the second wave black metal influences that were present on Towards Eschaton, this newest album also has a larger representation of first wave influences. This means that overall the songs on The Shackles of Mammon have greater personality and presence than ever.

The songs are longer and more involved than those of their debut album, demonstrating a band that have grown with confidence in the years since Towards Eschaton.

The singer’s varied and emphatic delivery commands the attention, providing a focal point for the well-realised music that steals the show in many ways. This shouldn’t be taken to minimise the impact of the music, of course, as without this we’d simply have a recording of a madman howling into the wind. No, it’s rather that his performance is so good, so maniacal and thorough that it stands out.

Melding aggressive speed with dark metal personality, Craven Idol repeatedly succeed in focusing their old-school influences into these 47 minutes.

Craven Idol have well and truly impressed on The Shackles of Mammon. With an increase in scope and ambition, they sound stronger than ever and it’s great to see a band progress and develop as these have.

Very highly recommended. Old-school quality with new-school fury and bite.