ALBUM REVIEW: Crown – For I Am King
It’s been a minute since we were last graced with material from Dutch metal powerhouse FOR I AM KING, with 2018’s I release receiving rave reviews far and wide. The quintet are poised to pull the pin on their latest bundle of explosives entitled Crown which is due for release on January 19th via Prime Collective.
Avarice gets things underway in dramatic fashion with a slow, tense build-up that bursts into hefty guitar work and formidable vocal blasts courtesy of frontwoman Alma Alizadeh. Slick lead runs are meticulously executed alongside the energetic drum rhythms. Liars follows suit with a similarly frenetic mentality. Spine-tingling screams combine with rapid fire fret work to devastating effect. Throw in a monstrous breakdown and you’ve got one hell of a track on your hands. Trojans opts for a more restrained stride but still hits just as hard. The crunchy riffing is a delight to behold. It would be criminal if this wasn’t played live as it contains all the perfect ingredients to send a crowd into chaos.
Pariah commences with a solemn piano sequence that leads the way for the thought provoking lyrical content. The blend of uplifting melodies and relentless aggression assists in bringing this narrative to life. Barriers reels off a wave of impressive riffing before descending into the next barrage of savagery. The raspiness in Alizadeh‘s arsenal adds a distinct grittiness which elevates the damning sentiments to another level. Oblivion comes hurtling in like a train about to come flying off the tracks. The underlying groove is ridiculously satisfying. This would be the perfect gym playlist accompaniment to light a fire under your ass.
Sinners maintains the adrenaline fuelled pacing with another round of swift instrumentation. Haunting orchestration lurks in the background whilst the vibrant melodies take their opportunity to shine. Bloodline eases you in with its calming, positive nature. The sharp, piercing vocals provide quite the contrast. As the track progresses the darker elements begin to sneak back into the spotlight. Disciples gears up for the final flourish with a commanding stomp. A vicious surge of blast beats runs rampant. Before departing the track ensures it crams in some masterful lead runs to add the emphatic exclamation point.
Crown follows in the footsteps of the band’s excellent sophomore effort but adds a host of additional elements to their bag of tricks to provide that added punch and flair. FOR I AM KING spare no hesitation in wearing their hearts on their sleeves, bringing pressing topics and subject matter to the forefront. This release marks ten years for the quintet and displays many reasons why they should be celebrated.
Rating: 9/10
Crown is set for release on January 19th via Prime Collective.
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