Sweden’s crustiest Death Metallers CRAWL released their killer debut “Ritual” a few years back. Now they return for more chainsawing brutality with their second full length. Out via Transcending Obscurity Records on April 30th.
Their insanely driven guitars create a ton of feedback, adding as a brief second of introduction before carnivorous HM-2 riffing and d-beats pummel into life with all of the might of their sonic ancestors. Swedish Death Metal may be a somewhat oversaturated sound to many onlookers, but I think we can always tell a band with something more special to offer this classic sound apart from those which simple tread water. Their debut definitely put Crawl in the former camp for me, so hopefully this holds true on “Altar Of Disgust”. There is a definitively gloomier feel to the opening moments with the clean guitars and maniacal vocals adding a touch of atmosphere while the battering chainsaw assault is ultimately as ferocious as ever. Of course that violently ominous guitar tone is present, but does not act in lieu of good riffs. Martin slaughters the axe with the tone aiding his already strong songwriting. The clanky bass, harsh vocals and busy drumming all feel extremely strong and nobody is crossing into each-other’s territory, stopping that messy outcome that could’ve easily been their fate.
Each track feels like another rusted meathook pulling through your flesh, a la Hellraiser. The entire band’s sound picks up where the debut left off six years ago (save for a killer split with Feral). That said, everything feels a bit more refined. The occasional atmospheric moments (such as on the blackened “Curse of the Morbid”) are a newer touch, while the grinding visceral Death Metal we heard before is as cranium-crushing as ever. Stomping, churning and slashing their way through each song, Crawl does not stray much from their formula, yet each track has its own flavour that reeks of the tomb. Each charnel moment is truly pulverising and there are plenty of moments where you will be holding your breath for more morbid executions as they smash you to pieces. Ultimately, this record is a neck- breaker of epic proportions.
This is one of those albums which drops you right in the thick, tarry sepulchre and holds you until the last. Their violent brand of sonic suppuration has so many whiplash hooks, your head will be torn from the torso by the sheer might of truly impeccable Swedish Death Metal, a force like no other. While the obvious comparisons to Entombed and Dismember can be made, there is equally likely a lot of Vomitory, Grave and Bloodbath adding that more brutal flare to the music which counters those punky hooks with unfathomable heaviness. So many bands have tried this formula to varying success ranging from some of my favourite Death Metal of all time, to some of the most mediocre hardcore bands larping into our sweet genre with nothing but a pedal to hold up their meek efforts. Crawl stand on their own feet and deliver us an unbreakable record whose sensibilities are only to mortally wound the listener from start to end.
It’s strange, I rarely like Death Metal with such strong punk influences aside from the early Swedish pioneers, yet Crawl nail that feeling so well it feels authentically heavy to me. Their utterly savage delivery feels genuine and the songs simply rip with a huge sound that is carefully thought out yet merciless. If you seek grooves, grit and utter brutality with a punky edge that doesn’t overshadow the macabre Swedish Death Metal hellfire, Crawl’s new opus is definitely the most worthy contender I have heard in a long time (perhaps since their debut).
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