Crown of Thorns Review

Band	The Crown
Album	Crown of Thorns
Type	Album (Studio full-length)
Released	October 11, 2024
Genres	Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal
Labels	Metal Blade Records
Length	54:34

Reviewer :  prixmypouts         Rating :  90 / 100

Swedish death-thrash legends The Crown are back with their 12th regular studio album. With this one, they go way far back into their own past simply using their previous band name as album title. Not only that but also the cover is kind of retro on Crown Of Thorns. Where the previous album cover was colorful and some kind of epic, what you can find here is some kind of dreary, apocalyptic black-and-white painting. Might this be some anticipation towards what will come out of my stereo? Well, not at all. You can be relieved that the Swedes only changed their sound in nuances.

The songs on “Crown of Thorns” are fierce death metal anthems that combine metal, melody and an anarchic vibe. “Churchburner”, with it’s little reference to Slayer, was the lead single of the album and is a roaring song. Death metal made in Sweden, this is what “Churchburner” stands for. It’s a brutal track with some clever breaks and an infectious groove.

Equally heavy but with a bit of a different expression comes “Gone to Hell”. A throbbing bass and the lead guitar kick off a song with a punky vibe. It’s one of the moments on “Crown of Thorns” when melodies become important without compromising the heaviness of the album.

Merciless when it comes to speed is “The Agitator”. The song is a less than two minute sledgehammer that hits you right in the face. The counterpart to such a pounding tune is “The Storm That Comes”. The title refers to the approaching storm that The Crown musically depict. Starting quietly, the song slowly builds up. You can feel the storm coming as you listen to this tune, which reflects the epic nature of this album. Sticking to the basic pattern, the song still offers enough versatility and twists to make it entertaining from start to finish. It is a very solid way to end an album that also includes three bonus tracks, depending on the format.

If you’re a fan of The Crown, there’s enough here to enjoy and remind you of what you love about them. Yet, in their heavier sound, the melodicism has been sacrificed for all-out speed, while in the slower material, they’ve resorted to unnecessary bells and whistles that give Crown of Thorns a slightly artificial feel. At its best (“I Hunt with the Devil” and “Churchburner”), Crown of Thorns is straight-up fun. But highlights aside, Crown of Thorns just feels a touch tired and The Crown feels like a band searching around for new inspiration. If you’re new to The Crown, this isn’t the place to start.