COVEN’S Worship New Gods is an interesting artifact from the 80’s mid-western American metal scene. It’s hard to categorize these guys as one specific genre and it’s clear the band was drawing from a diverse pool of influences when they recorded this album. I’m sure their denim jackets were adorned with CANDLEMASS and MERCYFUL FATE patches along with early deathrock bands like T.S.O.L. and THE DAMNED. It’s a surprisingly effective mix of styles and the band typically keep the mood light if not a little goofy. Lyrical themes involve battles, vague Norse mythology, and black magic. The first track, “Riddle of Steel”, is an explicit reference to the film Conan the Barbarian…a good way to start any album. Other stand-out tracks include “Kiss Me With Blood”, “General’s Eye”, and “Loki”.   Worship New Gods isn’t a great album, but it’s entertaining and well produced for something that was independently recorded and released 25 years ago. I’d recommend getting it just to see the kind of silliness parents and religious leaders were terrified of in the 1980’s.