Labels: Earache
Review by: Kunal Nandi
What with Earache recently picking up most of the Willowtip back-catalogue for reissue, it gives me a good excuse to finally put pen to paper about the first album proper from Sweden’s Crowpath, following on from a compilation on Robotic Empire of their vinyl EP releases. We’re basically talking about metal here, but from a completely different, terrifying new dimension this time. Taking old and new-school metal influences and running headlong at you with them, Crowpath constantly and consistently leave the poor listener in the lurch. They leave you titbits of slower, catchier sections, before smashing you over the head with some beautifully unpredictable new section. It’s incredible. Weirdly, I’m reminded of Knut (always a good thing, forever and ever, amen) with the notable proviso that they are sped up about 100 times “” there’s the similar vocal style, wanton time changes and utterly hefty production job. This record even has an important agenda in the furthering of European music in areas where such bands are usually ignored, so good luck to them!