Crushing Sun — TAO
The moment I've hit play on the Crushing Sun's latest record entitled TAO, the sound took me like a wave and landed me back somewhere around the end of the album. And that alone wins all the stars for this record, because making an album so solid and yet diverse to a reasonable point is an accomplishment that not so many bands are able to achieve. But let me get a bit into the details in order to explain why Crushing Sun are so awesome.
This band from Portugal plays a kind of metal that can be described by the vague term “modern metal”. But don't even think of comparing them to In Flames, Soilwork or Lamb of God. The problem is that the term “modern” comprises so many bands these days, which sound very different and it's really easy to spoil the impression by labeling a band as being modern metal. When listening through TAO the closest comparison I could make was Strapping Young Lad, but without the synths.... without the blastbeats.... and without Devin's clean vocals.... and without the crazy stuff.... well, it's not fucking SYL at all, but it's the closest impression I could come up with. There are elements of death, thrash and more melodic influences brewed in mid-tempo arrangements that don't get in your face and melt it like a blowtorch but make it a great listen when you need good quality metal in your ears.
And speaking of quality, this record sounds very solid! The sound is clean and heavy, all the instruments are set in their places within the mix and none of them gets too much in front. TAO sounds like a rock – crisp, clear and very substantial, and that's what modern metal should sound like, in my opinion.
Let's hope that guys from Crushing Sun won't stop with this record and will grow to even a better record in the future, although it will be a hard task to top TAO. Because it's a very good record!
This band from Portugal plays a kind of metal that can be described by the vague term “modern metal”. But don't even think of comparing them to In Flames, Soilwork or Lamb of God. The problem is that the term “modern” comprises so many bands these days, which sound very different and it's really easy to spoil the impression by labeling a band as being modern metal. When listening through TAO the closest comparison I could make was Strapping Young Lad, but without the synths.... without the blastbeats.... and without Devin's clean vocals.... and without the crazy stuff.... well, it's not fucking SYL at all, but it's the closest impression I could come up with. There are elements of death, thrash and more melodic influences brewed in mid-tempo arrangements that don't get in your face and melt it like a blowtorch but make it a great listen when you need good quality metal in your ears.
And speaking of quality, this record sounds very solid! The sound is clean and heavy, all the instruments are set in their places within the mix and none of them gets too much in front. TAO sounds like a rock – crisp, clear and very substantial, and that's what modern metal should sound like, in my opinion.
Let's hope that guys from Crushing Sun won't stop with this record and will grow to even a better record in the future, although it will be a hard task to top TAO. Because it's a very good record!
1. Rain
2. Cantilever
3. The End
4. Jane's Trail
5. T. Hatcher
6. 12379 Seconds
7. Love
8. 20 to 22.000 Hertz
9. 37º+ Celsius
10. Grey Scent
11. Strip And Deceit
2. Cantilever
3. The End
4. Jane's Trail
5. T. Hatcher
6. 12379 Seconds
7. Love
8. 20 to 22.000 Hertz
9. 37º+ Celsius
10. Grey Scent
11. Strip And Deceit
Major Label Industries
Reviewer: twansibon
Nov 9, 2010
Nov 9, 2010
Next review:
Houwitser - Bestial Atrocity
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