Don’t you just love it and never get tired of people complaining about how particular Rock band’s will never be the same without a particular member, or that they can’t listen to a band anymore because there are fewer than their minimum quota of original members. I am of course joking, it’s one of the most annoying things about social media, who cares what you think – if you don’t like it let you feet do the talking and walk away.
I mention that of course as the band that ‘keeps on keeping on’ unveils another new vocalist Gabriel Keyes for his vinyl debut after a gap of some two years since his announcement and a further two years on since former vocalist Simon Cruz left the band in the middle of their 2015 Japan tour.
So here we are on the eve of the release of ‘Rust’ with no original members, three hiatuses, a fourth singer in five albums. On paper it looks dicey, but do we care? Not really because here it’s the music that continues to draw you back. This better be good…
Has it really been six years though since we heard ‘The Savage Playground’? It really has, but somehow those six years have been worth it as the band comes out strong – but of course you already knew that didn’t you? I mean since Keyes was announced we’ve already heard almost half the album as singles – with ‘We Are The Legion,’ ‘Rust,’ ‘Reptile,’ ‘Idiots’ and ‘In The Maze’ already out there before release date leaving just leaving an EP’s worth of new material to digest.
Reviewing this therefore seems a little underwhelming, it’s like secretly having already unwrapped your best Christmas presents and feigning surprise when you see them again. They’re still great presents of course, but you already know what’s coming when opener ‘Rust’ blows out of the speakers. Crashdiet in the six years since ‘Playground’ have changed very little except they’ve got a little edge in that time, taking on a more metallic guitar sound that beefs up the songs that still have those wonderful hooks, melodies and riffs. And Keyes is a helluva singer just to add the cherry on top.
First ‘new’ track ‘Into The Wild’ is an interesting one, part ‘Europe’, part ‘Glam’ it works nicely before the trio of previously released singles, the heavy ‘Idiots’; the ballad ‘In The Maze’ and what is probably the biggest sounding thing here ‘We Are The Legion’ remind you of how formidable return this album really is.
There is something for everyone though and two ‘vintage goodies’ follow: ‘Crazy’ is maybe even better then what has come before if you like that sleazy sound these Swedes handle so well, and ‘Parasite’ is a nice dose of late eighties ‘hair metal.’ Where they push the envelope just a little is on ‘Waiting For Your Love’ and it’s not envelope-pushing in the sense of sounding weird or experimenting, it’s more that this sounds like traditional NWOBHM, not a sound you’d associate with the band.
And after the fun of ‘Reptile’ the final single here, we close out with ‘Stop Weirding Me Out’ which i another winner for long term fans – Swedish Glam all the way. The album closes with ‘Filth & Flowers’ a fist pumping,blood rushing Power Metal anthem. A very cool and upbeat way to end.
Another great album from the band that signals maybe that with the Gods permission and a little stability the best may still be ahead of these guys.
Track List:
01. Rust
02. Into The Wild
03. Idiots
04. In The Maze
05. We Are The Legion
06. Crazy
07. Parasite
08. Waiting For Your Love
09. Reptile
10. Stop Weirding Me Out
11. Filth & Flowers
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