Someone once called Thin Lizzy the band that ate guitar players. Another someone put Kiss in that category as well. Is Crashdïet the band that eats singers? “New” frontman Gabriel Keyes is the band’s fourth singer after Dave Lepard, Oliver Twisted and Simon Cruz. Cruz managed two albums with the band before he jumped ship and this album is Keyes’ second album with the Swedish glamsters – another album and he will holds the record as their singer with most albums under his belt. I hope he does because I think he’s great. Musically, I think Crashdïet has topped themselves with each album – except for The Savage Playground (2013) which was without being bad, the band’s weakest effort to date.
Keyes’ debut Rust came out in 2019, a brilliant record that in a fair world should have taken the band at least another step up on the ladder of success. I don’t know if it did that but it certainly was the band’s finest moment to date. Crashdïet managed to tour the last record before the pandemic hit and with that they had a couple of years writing new material for the follow-up – a follow-up that comes with a mountain of expectations. This album is an important one, an album that have to prove that the last one wasn’t just a strike of good luck and an album where Keyes, as the “new” guy can show us all that he has established himself as the band’s frontman and singer and not just the new guy.
After a brief intro which is the title-track, the album kicks off with the single “Together Forever”, a typical Crashdïet number – heard, edgy, kicking and direct with some fat riffage and a poundy beat. It’s a fist-in-the-face rocker where glammy Hard Rock rubs shoulder with Metal twists. It’s a real slammer of a tune with hooks flying around everywhere and on top a direct and attitude spitting chorus. This is some killer shit. “Shine On” continues on the same ballsy and firey route. Don’t let the 80’s sounding synth that opens the song fool ya because this is a edgy and rough-edge Hard Rock kicker that throws in some Melodic Rock touches for good measure. The big refrain holds some stellar melodies with an instant catchiness. Great stuff.
Leading single “No Man’s Land” is a riff-happy, thumping sleaze-metal rocker that is carried by a solid, punchy rhythm. The vocal-melodies are smoother here and parts of the song harkens back to 80’s Melodic Rock/Arena Rock. Bon Jovi and H.E.A.T having a party with Guns N’ Roses and Skid Row. The chorus is massive with a hook catchier than covid. Why this wasn’t a mastodon hit is beyond me. Awesome! “Darker Minds” is more of semi-ballad with a darker atmosphere – a mix of sleazy Hard Rock and power balladry, if you will. The main-melody is of a more poppy structure and the vocal-melodies is slightly AOR-ish but it never ever gets sugary. The song is full of melancholy but the catchiness is prominent and the chorus could be used as super-glue. Brilliant. Should be a single!
With hard-hitting guitars and a balls-to-the-wall rhythm-section, “Dead Crusade” kicks of with attitude and aggression. It’s a slightly punky, metal-tinged and intense Hard Rock belter, very live-friendly with chugging riffs but it also contains a striking melody-line and an in-your-face and sing-along pleading refrain. It’s not hit-catchy but it’s damn memorable. Very good. Latest single “Powerline” features a cameo from Steel Panther frontman Michael Starr who duets with Keyes. It’s quite heavy and muscular but still very melodic and screams classic Crashdïet a long way. It’s an ass-kicker with a very strong chorus-hook with a lot of poppiness involved. A party anthem perfect for the stage. Killer.
“Resurrection Of The Damned” is a dirty, sleazy and rowdy rocker with Metal edges and an overlying darkness. It’s a beefy, groovy and hard-hitting and quite muscular number where Keyes’ bedraggled vocals gives the song an extra pinch of roughness. It’s a solid tune and it comes across as a deep-track. It’s catchy enough and it’s a good track but maybe not as strong as the rest. “We Die Hard” is a slammin’ yet pop-melodic hard-rocker, straight-forward and upbeat with an intense and direct main-melody. The foundation is heaviness, edge and vigour but on top lies some cleaner Melodic Rock laden melodies and the contrast works like a charm. Another glistening refrain takes the song for a home run. This is terrific.
“Shell Shock” comes along kicking and biting, full of piss n’ vinegar with a ballsy rhythm, razor-sharp chuggy guitars and a whole lot of attitude. It’s a driving tune, very live-friendly and the fat gang-vocals in the chorus are made for the stage. I can see an ocean of fists in the air belonging to a crowd shouting back the song’s title. I love this! “Unbroken” picks up a faster pace and runs riot rough and punchy. This is a no-bull, balls-out, straight ahead hard-rocker that goes right for the throat. It’s a good tune for sure but it feels a bit standard and thirteen-a-dozen, to be honest.
The album closes with a bonafide slow ballad called “I Can’t Move On (Without You)”. The tune starts out mellow, frugal and low-key, stripped with acoustic guitars and vocals and an emotional ambience. It’s really different side to this band and it’s nice to hear Keyes use his lower register. Towards the end the band joins in and the song turns into a power ballad, early 90’s Arena Rock style. Two songs in one, kind of. It’s a sombre piece with mesmerizing melodies and when it goes power ballad, the chorus really lifts. A killer ballad and a great way to end the album.
While it’s true that Crashdïet might not be all that original and wears their influences on their sleeves – something they’ve been given a lot of crap for (at the same time people praise Nestor, how’s that for hypocrisy?) – but the fact is, these guys do have a sound and identity that’s their own. But what’s more important, they can write stellar songs and they sure know their way around a hook. Also, they might might be a sleaze-glam band but Poison they’re not. Crashdïet is harder and heavier, they flirt with Metal and they sport a darker vibe. This is a great album with no bad songs in sight and the fact that they’re not bigger than they are is both a mystery and unfair. Highly recommended!
8/10
More Crashdïet reviews:
Generation Wild
The Savage Playground
Rust
Tracklist:
1. Automaton
2. Together Whatever
3. Shine On
4. No Man’s Land
5. Darker Minds
6. Dead Crusade
7. Powerline
8. Resurrection Of The Damned
9. We Die Hard
10. Shell Shock
11. Unbroken
12. I Can’t Move On (Without You)
CD & Festival reviews 