The Crown - Crown of Thorns

 The Crown is a metal institution. There isn't any discussion about that to be had. Even you don't like them (what THE HELL is wrong with you?), their energy, power, and influence cannot be denied.

Formed in 1990 (as Crown of Thorns before being basically forced to change their name), the band has been bringing exhilarating death thrash from the underground for over three decades. That's not nothing nor is it an easy feat. They haven't always had it easy either, calling it quits at least once that I know of. But they persevered and here they are again with their 11th full-length album (12th if you count “Crowned Unholy,” the re-release/re-recording of “Crowned In Terror”).

Speaking of “Crowned In Terror,” that was my introduction to the band…I bought it on a whim after seeing an ad for it in Metal Edge. I had never heard their music before but the cover art looked cool and I was already a fan of Tompa, who provided vocals on the album. I was 18 and blown away once I pushed play on my cd player. I'm now 41 and blown away with “Crown of Thorns,” now that I have pushed play on my mp3 phone app.

The Crown has been with me a long time and, although I certainly like some albums more than others, I don't think they ever released a bad album. And now, over 20 years since I first discovered them, I think they have released one of their best albums.  In fact, “Crown of Thorns,” is their best album since 2003’s “Possessed 13.”

There are a couple notable things about the album.  It is the first album from the band to not feature founding member Magnus Olsfelt.  When his departure was first announced, I was worried how things would proceed.  No offense to him but it, obviously, went better than I could have imagined.  Secondly, another original member returns:  guitarist Marcus Sunesson.  He and Marko Tervonen pick up where they left off…..one of the best guitar duos is back and all his right with this world. 

The whole band sounds so reinvigorated and the album has a fresh, dynamic sound.  The band rips it up like they haven’t done in years.  Two new members, drummer Mikael Norén and bassist Mattias Rasmussen, go a long way in providing this newfound fire.  Both of them bring the band to the next level.  

Hell, even the album artwork from Giannis Nakos’ helped forge the new found.  His work includes a bridge from the band’s  hometown, looping the band’s history back to where everything started.  The band was inspired by the art and focused on creating music that most complimented the piece.

The album begins with “I Hunt With The Devil,” one of the best opening songs I’ve heard in years.  It’s fast, furious, mean and lean—the band focuses on bringing back their hellish, old school sound.  It fucking RIPS.  Johan sounds amazing—this dude doesn’t age.  Despite it’s boundless rage, there is a certain atmosphere presented that makes the song sound magical and exciting.  The chorus is killer, too.  Near the end, the band throws in their always haunting and arcane version of melody.  

“Martyrian,” opens surprisingly sorrowful before the clean guitars transform into a biting melody, propelled by the death thrash the band has crafted so well.  The drums are fantastic—so focused yet you can tell he had a blast doing them.  Fast, crisp, clean but robust and vibrant.  The low end is marvelous, boosting the song to intense levels the band hasn’t visited in a long time.  The lead guitar throws in some melody here and there—the band’s grasp on making their brutal death thrash has always been balanced with a keen sense of melody and never has it made more sense than on this album.

“Howling At The Warfield,” is another highlight.  The vocal cadence, the rhythm in the lyrics is catchy as hell but I love how much the drums compliment the whole song.  It has a few slower parts here and there, expertly intertwined for maximum effect and flow. The last minute or so of the song is full-stop The Crown doing what they do best.

The next song, “The Night Is Now,” is one I keep jamming over and over.  The drumming in the beginning helps set the stage, and the buildup as the other instruments arrive is impressive.  Once again, the drum and vocal rhythm steals the show but check out that groove at the 2:40 mark.  Aaaaaaaaaaaaaarg, it’s so good. 

“The Agitator,” is old school extreme thrash at its finest….the guitars sound like they are about to come loose, crash and burn.  It’s reckless abandon to the extreme and, of course, the bass makes it sound all the better.  This is 1 minute and 50 seconds of devastation. 

The final song is “The Storm That Comes,” and from the opening riff to the last second, it is a gripping song that doesn’t let go.  In my humble opinion, this is one of the best songs the band has ever written.  Everything comes together here, a culmination of not only the album but of the band’s impressive career.  The chorus is insane but the song manages to get even better after the 4 minute mark. 

The Crown has been part of my life for a long time now and I’m pleased to no end that this far into their career, they have released an album this good.   If you’re a fan, you’ll love it instantly.  Even if you have given up on them for whatever reason, this will pull you back in.  “Crown of Thorns,” is a keeper.