The Crown formed in 1990 under the name
‘Crown Of Thorns’ in the sterile industrial city of Trollhattan, Sweden.
After hooking up a deal with indie Black Sun Records, they recorded their
full-length debut ‘The Burning’ in 1995. The debut release generated enough
press coverage for the band to score a spot on the Slayer tribute album
‘Slaytanic Slaughter’ in 1997 – subsequently drawing enough attention to
the band for a Christian rock band of the same name to force ‘Crown Of
Thorns’ to shorten its name to simply the ‘Crown.’
After extensive touring the band recorded
‘Eternal Death’ in 1997, which landed them a new deal with the widely known
Metal Blade Records. Since then, the band has released five full-length
albums for the label, the latest being 2004’s ‘Possessed 13.’ The Crown
have slowly crawled up the ranks of Sweden’s crowded death metal scene
to be recognized – not as innovators – but rather as committed, relentless,
lightening-fast, face-shredding death metallers.
So now the ever-expanding fivesome return
to the studio with original singer Johan Lindstrand (after an album-long
stint with ex-At The Gates singer Tomas Lindberg) to give the fans exactly
what they want – unabated hardcore death metal.
Instantly one can identify the record’s
new production courtesy of Studio Fredman – a nice thick, mud/sludge wall
of sound, perfect for Crown’s death/thrash drunkenness and slightly reminiscent
of Entombed’s 2003 release ‘Inferno.’ Stylistically, the band hasn’t deviated
from what it has solidly delivered over the past 13 years – the musicianship
and hectic song arrangements are still marked as a primary feature of the
band next to speed and brutality.
Crown is a band that likes to constantly
remind us of its rather apparent musical influences. ‘Are You Morbid?’
is an obvious shout out to Celtic Frost (in title only) in which the band
discards it’s sludge-riffs in favour for a speed death/roll romp al la
Entombed. In ‘Bow To None’ and ‘Morningstar Rising’, the band channels
out strong, mid-tempo tirades of power, mixed with double-time thrash.
‘Morningstar Rising’ builds up to a brilliant crescendo, finishing on a
grinding note of power.
In ‘Kill ‘Em All’ (as the title so obviously
screams) the boys take a note from early-era Metallica in a great five
minute thrash-piece (‘the death machine’s gonna kill em all). Crown go
so far as to actually rip off the legendary double-bass fill of Slayer’s
‘Angel Of Death’ in the closing minute of the track – but it is this ironic
self-awareness and half-serious sideswipes that make Crown Of Thorns the
great band it is. In ‘Zombiefied!’ the band humorously play with B-grade
horror film clichés almost to the point of idiocy – also translating
in the cover art.
With ‘Face Of Destruction – Deep Hit Of
Death’ the band plays with the various clichés of the genre, poking
fun at the likes of the Babylon Whores & Children Of Bodom. But predominately
on the record (in ‘No Tomorrow’, ‘Deliverance’ and ‘Natashead Overdrive’)
the band slug out a filthy discharge of sludge, mixed with clever dual-harmony
lead licks, and pounding double bass thrown up against Johan’s impressive
vocals and the bands own self-motivated pledge to push their music as far
as they possibly can.
In ‘Possessed 13’ the Crown has released
a powerful and almost playful thrash/death metal romp, reminding us all
of the simple joys found in brutal murders, drug abuse, alcoholism and
pure, solid, against the grain death metal. While it might be a little
hard for the somewhat more weak-willed numetallers to swallow, metal veterans
will thoroughly enjoy this disc as I, myself have.
CD Info and Links
Crown – Possessed 13 Label: Metal
Blade
Genre: Thrash/Death
Metal
For Fans Of:
Entombed, Lamb Of God
Rating: Best Track:
Kill Em All / Natashead Overdrive
Tracks: 1.No Tomorrow
2.Face Of Destruction – Deep Hit Of Death
3.Deliverance
4.Cold Is The Grave
5.Dream Bloody Hell (Instr.)
6.Morningstar Rising
7.Are You Morbid?
8.Bow To None
9.Kill ‘Em All
10.Natashead Overdrive
11.Zombiefied!
12.Dawn Of Emptiness
13.In Memoriam (Instr.)
Posted by 5dPOdCK4gK:
XbKm5EgRLz Hs3LjwAwSph n9ZNHUmkLQA73
Posted by Hobo:
Of course. My mate is obsessed with it. It's awesome. Its on my Slaughter Of The Soul as a bonus.
Posted by Anuj:
Has anyone heard the At the Gates cover of Slayer's "Captor of Sin" ?
Posted by DeadSun:
As I stated at the message boards, Hobo--- I am on this. I should be bagging a Crown disc this weekend. I'm still disturbed that they've gotten by me for this long.
Posted by Hobo:
Why has no one checked this review out? You're missing on some prime death/thrash.
