This would definitely have to be in contention for my album of the year. If you love you Rock and Roll from the heart and full of meaty riffs and top notch vocals then Crobot has a collection of songs for you that will blow your mind!
‘Electrified’ comes shooting out of the speakers and into the night like a firecracker. There’s a real power and energy as you would expect from a band like Crobot, but after false starts and pandemic-fuelled delays there’s a real feel that this time we will hit the stars!
If you love uncompromising rock and roll that references both Sabbath and Soundgarden as well as riff monsters like Clutch, yet has a fearless modern edge the these guys are for you. Rock and Roll of course is timeless but when you can pull the best from the past and send it wildly flailing into the future why wouldn’t you?
‘Dizzy’ is built on a crunching, bouncing riff and just takes control, it’s muscular and in your face and the perfect contrast to the searching ‘Set You Free’ that follows, creeping in slowly before exploding into a chorus of real power.
Imagine a band that has the power of vintage Soundgarden, a huge nod to Black Sabbath and the energy to pull off a smash and grab on teh best Rock and Roll of the last few decades. The harp into the intro to ‘Better Times’ is a touch of genius and the song itself is a wonderful stomping rocker but as we approach teh eat of teh record if anything the power and quality just ups again.
‘Golden’ is more akin to Shinedown meets Soundgarden it’s a wonderfully powerful rocker driven by a great drum track and some lilting guitars behind Brandon’s best ‘Cornell’. The lightest moment here ‘Without Wings’ is wonderfully evocative and shows that Crobot is not all about sheer power. There’s a wonderful delicacy before we dive right in to one of the best riffs on the record. Try stopping that head banging – you just can’t!
‘Living on the Streets’ that follows is just plain fun – a foot to the floor rockers built on a solid AC/DC riff, it’s followed by ‘Into the Fire’ which has that wonderful grainy Soundgarden feel about it. It’s heady stuff!
On the way to the back end of the record ‘Dance With the Dead’ adds a little groove and pop sensibilities to the mix before ‘Never Break Me’ keeps that catchy feel but also keeps the head down and banging. It’s one of those songs that starts out a little on the edge, a little unhinged and just smoulders! And it all ends is remarkable fashion – ‘Staring Straight Into the Sun’ the final track here is stunning, expansive and dynamic – opening up a new train of thought and shedding more light on the sheer possibility of a band like Crobot who despite recent setbacks have just released one of their very best of their career so far.
8.5