It was only ever a matter of time until Swedish death metal legends The Crown titled an album after their previous name. Known as Crown of Thorns from their inception in 1990 until their brief demise in 2004, the band reformed five years later and has continued to produce some of the country’s finest and crunchiest Death Metal riffs.
Despite guitarist Marko Tervonen being the only member of the band to have stayed the course over the years (co-founder/vocalist Johan Lindstrand went his own way for a while before the official split), this new incarnation of The Crown sound every bit as snarlingly aggressive as they did in the beginning. Much of this very likely down to the return of Marcus Sunesson, the original lead guitarist back for no less than a third stint in the band.
The twelfth full-length studio release, Crown of Thorns (Metal Blade Records) sees the band coming full circle, not only by harking back to their original name but by including the Strömkarlsbron bridge on the album art, referencing their hometown of Trollhättan where it all began.
Opening with short staccato bursts, “I Hunt with the Devil” quickly introduces slashing riffs and dive-bombing whammy solos, the newly acquired rhythm section of bassist Mattias Rasmussen and sticksman Mikael Norén delivering right from the outset. “Churchburner” and “Martyrian” hit you with crushing groove-fuelled chugs while the moody mid-paced monster of “Gone to Hell” is so thunderously heavy that it only leaves after your tormented ears give up and wave a little white flag.
The frantic “Howling at the Warfield” keeps the bar high, it’s addictively proggy guitar solo yet another outstanding moment. Dominated by warlike drums, the guitar melody of “The Night is Now” rings out with slow Black Metal until the push to its brutal climax. “God-King” is another insistent cut loaded with razor-sharp riffing and feral vocals from Lindstrand.
“The Agitator” says all it needs to in less than two whirlwind minutes while ‘Where Nightmares Belong’ balances speed with groove and melody before the album culminates with the seven-minute epic “The Storm That Comes.” Following a lightly distorted Black Sabbath-style riff with something born in the eighties, the apocalyptic closer hits you with an In Flames vibe and yet another beautifully performed solo seeing the album fade to black.
It’s not over yet though as “Eternally Infernal,” “No Fuel For God,” and “Mind Collapse” close the record in rip-roaring style, all three clearly far too good to be labelled as mere bonus tracks.
Instantly memorable hooks, vicious riffs, sensational progressive passages, and blasts of good old-fashioned Swedish death metal. With Crown of Thorns, it’s clear The Crown is still at the top of their game. Hell is here again.
Buy the album here:
https://www.metalblade.com/thecrown/
8 / 10
GARY ALCOCK
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