Carnivorous Forest: Frozen Rivers (Blackened Death Records)
Multi-instrumentalist and multi-talented Richard Alan Weeks or Amarok to his friends is the man behind Carnivorous Forest. After single releases and several EP releases including Genital Mutilation In The Name Of God and Absolute Fucking Shit and A Waste Of Time, Frozen Rivers is the first full length release. It’s a real departure to what we often review and the immediate comparison must be with Ancient Vvisdom. Yes, this is nearly all acoustic blackened metal, with Viking and folk metal in both attitude and delivery. With influences ranging from Rush to Bathory, Skyclad to Hawkwind and Woods of Ypres to Sodom, the range is varied and interesting. Subject matter ranges from death to nature to anti-religion. It’s well written, superbly performed and hauntingly atmospheric. From opening song White Wolves through to closer Amarok, Frozen Rivers maintains the interest, adding contrast and reflection without needing to rage or thrash. Its malevolence seeps through the pores. Well worth a listen. 8/10
Enepsigos: Plague Of Plagues (Drakkar Productions)
True Norwegian Black Metal. Yes, fuck all that false stuff. The debut album from black metal trio Enepsigos is as true as you would demand and hailing from the home of the satantic church burning nothing less than you would expect. Smirking aside, this is a brilliant release. Massive riffs, haunting melodies and explosive blast beats from start to finish. The energy contained in this album quite frightening and with eight tracks clocking in at just shy of an hour it is neck breaking in its duration. The band, Thorns on drumming, Straff (guitar and bass) and the quite hideously evil vocals of V.I.T.H.R combine to crush with a wall of blistering noise. The more I play this, the more I enjoy it. The devil really does have all the best tunes. 8/10
Laura Cox Band: Hard Blues Shot (Self Released)
When I initially heard Hard Blues Shot, my first thought was which part of Australia does she come from? It was a bit of a surprise to find out that the band are from Paris, France. They play what they have defined “southern hard blues”. It certainly has elements of all three. Barefoot In The Countryside is about as country as you can get, with a banjo centre stage. Cox’s voice is husky and bluesy, initial comparisons inevitably lean towards Joanne Shaw Taylor although the Black Country virtuoso is in a different league. The rest of the band comprise Mathieu Albiac (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), bassist Francois C. Delacoudre and drummer Antonin Guerin. Tracks such as the title song and The Australian Way are routine, a mix of AC/DC and other antipodean influences. Too Nice For Rock n’ Roll illustrates why Cox was an internet sensation with her YouTube clips, as it features some decent guitar work. However, the album tails off tamely, with If You Wanna Get Loud and Going Down uninspiring. There is plenty of room for female guitarists in the world of rock and Laura Cox and her band has potential. 6/10
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