The Crown – Crown of Thorns
The Crown – Crown of Thorns
Metal Blade Records
Release Date: 11/10/2024
Running Time 54:29
Review by Victor Augusto
9/10
It’s not new my admiration for the Swedish Death metal band The Crown considering I’ve been following their career since the “Hell is Here” album, released in 1999. As a fan, I feel lucky enough to have a chance to review their last two albums, and also interview the Vocalist Johan Lindstrand. Seriously! Until today I felt the same excitement when I’m about to play a new The Crown album, as I did the first time way back in 99.
Maybe one strong reason is because The Crown never disappoints their listeners, and they know how to open an album. ‘I Hunt with the Devil’, as the first track, is perfectly able to fascinate you with their extremely well played Death Metal. It caught my attention on the very first listen and (again) I had the same thought that this song alone is good enough to guess that we are in front of a brutal record.
I felt them more connected to their musical trademark from old albums like “Deathrace King” or even “Crowned in Terror”, but without leaving behind their new sonority from the most recent releases “Royal Destroyer” and “Cobra Speed Venom”. Maybe this smooth impression of rescuing the old vibe was caused by the album title. If you don’t know, the band’s name was originally Crown of Thorns.
Maybe it’s useless to try to describe the musical intentions of a band with more than 30 years of existence and many killer albums released. They could create a very specific identity even though they’ve had a few considerable changes along their career, but what I definitely can mention for those who don’t know them is they navigate Swedish and American Death Metal with good additions of Thrash, like the Slayer inspiration of ‘Churchburner’ intro.
Despite the band’s long career being reflected in this album, there is something that could sound new, at least for me. ‘Gone to Hell’ for example, is the track that sounds more like the classic Death Metal scene from the nineties, reminding me of bands like Dark Tranquility. When the album was streamed on YouTube for the first time, the band members were there chatting with their fans, and the guitarist Marko Tervonen told me this track was more inspired by Post-punk and Paradise Lost! That makes sense!
Another thing that I loved is how the return of Marcus Sunesson puts back an incredible synergy among the guitarists. The riffs alongside the solos are majestic! When you also have memorable drum blast beats and a strong bass behind, then you have a good scenario, and Johan Lindstrand highlights everything with his amazing vocal lines.
Maybe I’m sounding like a silly fan boy just complimenting something I love, which is true, but it’s impossible to not love The Crown, if you enjoy all the musical styles I’ve mentioned so far. “Crown of Thorns” is not only honouring the roots of the band, but it also perfectly puts together all the best they created along the decades. I hope they never stop surprising me!
‘Churchburner’ (Official Video):
TRACKLISTING:
01. I Hunt with the Devil
02. Churchburner
03. Martyrian
04. Gone to Hell
05. Howling at the Warfield
06. The Night is Now
07. God-King
08. The Agitator
09. Where Nightmares Belong
10. The Storm That Comes
LINE-UP:
Johan Lindstrand – Vocals
Marko Tervonen – Guitar
Marcus Sunesson – Lead guitar
Mattias Rasmussen – bass
Mikael Norén – drums
LINKS:
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